Something in the Attic
by Angel68104
Summary: Emma inherits Aunt Ingrid's Estate after passing from Cancer. She's left to figure out what to do with the house, that's possibly haunted, and land, all while running into Regina, her childhood best friend. Not to good at this Summary thing. Slow burn Swanqueen story. Let me know what you think. Rated T for now.
1. Chapter 1

The cool mist swirled under the street lamp that dimly illuminated the night. A sharp chill crept up her back and she huddled deeper in her down jacket. She could hear her heart beat with the sound of her steps on the damp pavement.

She approached her aunt's estate, pausing outside the wrought iron gate. She flashed back on the magic of every summer she spent there. She could not believe it had been 16 years, since she raced home from school to pack and start her summer vacation with Aunt Ingrid.

The rose garden would be a flourish with many extravagant blooms, and by mid summer the berries and plums would be so plentiful and juicy. Emma and her sister would pass out with a belly full of fruit under the weeping willow tree. They would wake as the sun set and the fireflies started to emerge from their cool refuge in the grass.

A distant cry from an owl cut through the warm reverie and the present stung Emma's face with icy fingers. The estate was in less than presentable conditions. The shutters, barely attached to the house, creaked with the wind. Vines covered the black wrought iron fence, creeping up the house and over the windows choking out any life. The once plush well-tended, lawn is overgrown with now dead weeds and bramble. The weeping willow tree swung with the wind and head bowed in sadness.

Emma lifted the rusty latch on the gate, giving it a good tug before the familiar click released, and welcomed her. She started the walk to the large home that sat at the top of the hill, leaving the comfort of the only light behind her on the desolate street.

Emma sighed and reached into her satchel, fumbling until her hand grasped the barrel of the flashlight. She was thankful she had half the mind to grab it on her way out. She fought with herself for two months after waking from the nightmare drenched in sweat. That night after Aunt Ingrids's funeral she had a horrible dream that has haunted her since.

Aunt Ingrid appeared in front of Emma and began yelling at her, but she was decomposing. Her eyes were sunken in and her skin mottled and falling from her bones. She told Emma how disappointed in her she was for not being there for her and taking health and life for granted.

Emma later found out that Aunt Ingrid had asked for her several times while she laid dying. The nurse who cared for Ingrid said her last few weeks had been very painful, throughout the time the cancer overtook her body.

The morning after the dreadful dream Emma received a package from a courier at her New York apartment. The package contained a letter with pieces of her aunts will and last wishes and a set of keys. Aunt Ingrid left Emma the house, the five acres of land surrounding the home, and a nice sum of money. Emma was shocked that Ingrid would have left her so much let alone anything.

Emma, did not know what to do with the property. She lived in New York, and the house was in Winchester, Iowa. Winchester was a small town and the estate wasn't even in town, but on the outskirts. She grappled with selling it, hiring a service to maintain it, renting it, and then possibly living in it.

Emma still doesn't understand why Aunt Ingrid left it to her. Why her and not all the nieces and nephews? Why not her parents? Emma wished she could have one more day with her beloved aunt, to be able to ask questions and understand.

She thought maybe by leaving her the house that Aunt Ingrid was trying to get her on speaking terms with her parents, as a last gift. Unfortunately, Aunt Ingrid can't make her sister have any softer of a head than herself.

Emma switched the flashlight on and followed the overgrown stone path up to the house. She reached the porch and almost fell through the third step.

"That will have to get fixed." She thought stumbling to the top.

She pulled the key ring out of her pocket. Her hands trembled with fear and anticipation as she searched for the door key. She placed the key in the lock and gave the handle a twist. The door swung open with an eerie creak. Emma stepped over the threshold, swinging her light beam across the foyer.


	2. Chapter 2

Okay so here is Chapter 2. This is my first fic and I think my chapters are a little short so I will try to make them longer. I suppose I should mention that Once upon a Time is not mine and I am just borrowing the pieces to play with and I will put them away when I am done! Read and Review. Thanks.

* * *

Unsettled dust gathered in the light. The plush blue velvet curtains hung tattered and moth eaten. The furniture in the Great room lay huddled in the center of the room with light brown sheets covering them. Emma took a few more steps, surveying the abandoned home.

"Aunt Ingrid, would flip in her grave, if she saw this." Emma thought.

Aunt Ingrid was a meticulous perfectionist, who loved nature. She never married, but had numerous friends and many possible suitors. She had inherited some money from her grandparents and invested it into the land and the house. She made her living by selling fresh produce, jams, jellies, and book keeping out of her home office. She was a jack of many trades.

She cherished her privacy and adored her nieces and nephew. When Emma and her siblings got older, they came to Aunt Ingrid's less and less, till they stopped all together. They lived three hours from Aunt Ingrid's estate and with three active teenagers in school and extracurricular activities, Emma's parents rarely ever made it out to visit.

Ingrid fell six years previous to her death; she broke her left femur, hip, and shoulder. Ingrid had many Surgeries to repair the damage. The doctors were concerned when the bones would not heal and shortly after they discovered the bone cancer that claimed her life.

Ingrid hired a company to care for and manage the property in her absence, but after a year the company went belly up and didn't bother telling its client. Ingrid never recovered enough to go home. The house has sat for years with no care.

Emma walked over to the fireplace and peered into the mirror. She swiped her finger across the glass, pulling a thick trail of dirt dust across it. She crossed the room to the open oak staircase and had a flashback of the last time she saw it.

Emma was 19 and home from college for the first time. The family celebrated Christmas, 'country style,' with Aunt Ingrid. The banister was wrapped in fresh white pine garland with red and gold ribbons. It was the last time Emma saw her aunt and her parents.

She started to climb the stairs, sliding her hand along the smooth dusty banister. Emma got to the last step and heard movement in the bedroom to her left. Her stomach dropped and the hair on the back of her neck stood on end

"Why on Earth, did I think this was a good idea?" She asked herself.

She crept to the door and slowly opened it, peering in and sweeping the room with the flashlight. She was prepared to see a rat or some small animal, but all she found was an old perfume bottle rocking back and forth on the dirty floor. She picked the bottle up and sat it onto the vanity.

A stack of family photos lay in a coating of dust, waiting for their owner. It's so eerie how everything lay as if Aunt Ingrid would come home and just take care of everything. Emma felt guilt, sadness, and anger over her aunt's situation.

"Aunt Ingrid, I'm so sorry." Emma said aloud.

Emma couldn't believe her parents never helped with the house, or at least packed up Ingrid's things. She had heard from her brother that after things went awry between Emma and her parents, Aunt Ingrid had words with Emma's mother and they did not talk to each other often. Then again, maybe she could believe it, with as stubborn as her parents are.

That Christmas before Emma went back to college when she was 19, she had an intense conversation with her parents. The conversation started out great with Emma telling her parents about her current relationship. They were thrilled that Emma was dating someone and were disappointed when Emma did not bring him home to meet the family. Emma explained the reason she did not bring her new, "friend" home, was because he was a she and her name was Lily.

Emma's mother stared at her for a moment, processing the information, before bursting into tears. Her father walked outside and did not come in till Emma had left for the bus depot. Emma's mother dealt with it a little more violently, she slapped her across the face and screamed at her for being a whore and a disgrace to the family. She told Emma that she would never be welcome in their home again, unless she got over her sick perverted ways. She then calmed herself down, sat down and read a magazine. She looked up from the magazine and told Emma she needed to get out followed by a prompt "NOW!"

Emma ran to her room, quickly packed her things and ran out. She had never in a million years thought that was how things were going to turn out with her parents. She expected some disappointment and tears, maybe some yelling. She never thought in a million years her parents felt that way about her, their oldest daughter.

Emma realized she had tears falling down her cheeks at the memory. Emma really only had a familial relationship with her brother and it was strained at best. Emma wiped her tears with the back of her hand and went into the room she used to share with her sister when they were kids.


	3. Chapter 3

I am having a little difficulty splitting up my chapters, but this chapter is a bit longer.

Not my characters, just playing. Thanks

Chapter 3

* * *

She cleared a spot on the floor in front of the French doors that lead out onto the veranda. Pulling a sleeping bag from her pack, Emma laid it out, climbed in, and gazed at the partially hidden moon. She let her thoughts go and closed her eyes.

Emma woke to the suns warm rays streaking across her face. She pulled herself out of her bag and rolled it up. Then stumbled to the bathroom and turned the faucet on. A small trickle of brown sludge gurgled out.

"Damn." She mumbled disappointingly. Emma knew the estate operated off of it's own well. She didn't think having water would have been a problem, since there was no utility company to turn it on and off. She then started thinking and panicking, "What if the well has dried up?"

"Shit!" Emma turned off the water and made her way to the kitchen. She pulled a dense cobweb from the handle of the sink and lifted the lever. A spider crawled out of the spigot and dropped into the sink. A slow gurgle of black sludge tumbled out after the spider. Emma left the lever on, hoping clear water would spill from the faucet, while she looked through a drawer for a phone book.

She pulled the ratty phone book from the drawer, plopping it onto the dusty counter. Emma flipped through looking for a local handy man. She found the number of a local man, she vaguely remembered her aunt using. She pulled out her cell, punching the number in and waited. She waited for a minute more before realizing, like everything else, her phone wasn't working.

"Damn, okay, I guess I'm going into town."

Emma changed her clothes and walked down to her car. The day did not seem as bleak as the night. The sun was shining and the temperature was in the low sixties. The strange figures that had been lurking around the corner during the night, was new budding trees and bushes.

On the way into town, Emma noticed the once gravel road that led into town from the estate was now paved. The twenty miles into town used to be open fields, that would be full of crops or horses, were now littered with little communities and housing developments. There was even a traffic light as she drove into town.

Emma was relieved that the little diner was still in operation. She pulled into a parking spot and walked in. Two elderly men sat sipping coffee, reading the paper, and of course staring at her over the top. Emma asked the waitress at the counter for a phone book. The older woman was pushing into her late seventies, took a minute taking Emma in, before replying.

"Who you looking for, Honey?" She asked concerned.

"I need to get my phone turned on and some work done on my place." Emma said assertively.

"You new to town?" She inquired.

"Got in last night. I'm staying at my Aunt's, down on Spruce street." Emma said, remembering this is a small town.

The waitresses demeanor went from cautiousness to complete surrender when she placed the woman's face as the teenager and child she once knew.

"Oh, my goodness, you are Lil' Emma Swan." She stated almost as if telling Emma who she is. She came around the counter. "Let me see you girl. All grown up, and beautiful." The waitress made her spin in place. "I'm so sorry about Ingrid."

The waitress could tell Emma was having trouble remembering and placing her name.

"I'm Eugenia Lucas, Honey."

The name triggered Emma's memory and a blast of memories flooded into Emma's body. "I remember, you're Regina's grandmother."

"Yes, I am. How are you doing dear?" She asked concerned for the young lady and her loss.

"Well, I would be better if I could get things working in the house. I need a reliable contractor who can work on a budget and fast." Emma said a little exasperated.

"You know, I think this is your lucky day. I have the number to a very reliable contractor. She took over her father's business after his heart attack last year, and you already know her. Two birds and one stone." She smiled. "I'll get you her number." Mrs. Lucas scurried behind the counter to scribble the number down.

"Here dear, and the phone is right over there." She pointed to the end of the counter.

"Thank You, Mrs. Lucas." Emma said taking the number and heading towards the phone.

"Emma, call me Granny, you may be a grown now, but I am still the old woman who helped Ingrid with you and your siblings." She winked at Emma, and picked up a coffee pot, to start making the rounds, topping off customer's cups.

Emma dialed the number and a cheerful woman answered the phone.

"Henry's Handy Service."

"Um, I need some work done on a house. It's kind of an emergency." Emma said feeling her confidence waiver.

"What's the address?" The woman asked.

"781 Storybrooke Street."

There was silence on the line.

"Who is this?" Regina asked, irritated, that someone was prank calling her.

"Emma Swan. I was put in charge of my Aunt Ingrid's estate." Any confidence was now lost as she spoke.

"Emma? Is that really you?" Regina paused and remembered this was a business. "Well, it's about time you got here to do something with that poor house. It looks like I have a full day ahead." Regina said looking at her clipboard of orders, "But I'll tell you what, if you have time, I could stop by after six?"

"I'll take whatever time you have." Emma said, feeling her face blush. "I mean anytime you can spare will be much appreciated."

Emma hung the phone up and her stomach reminded her that her last meal had been yesterday before the plane ride. Emma sat down at a booth and looked the menu over. It hadn't changed much since she was a kid.

 _Aunt Ingrid would bring the kids down every Sunday morning for breakfast, before going to, "church". Ingrid was a very spiritual person. She didn't believe in having your butt stuck on a bench, inside a building, no matter how beautiful it was._

 _She would say, "If people want to worship God, then get out and enjoy God's land and love."_

 _When they finished there breakfast they would pile into Ingrid's van and spend the day at the small lake on Ingrid's property._

 _"This is worshiping God." She would say looking up at the clouds taking in the sun,"Take a deep breath and fill your lungs with God's love."_

"What can I get you?" A young woman in her early twenties with red streaks in her hair asks, breaking Emma out of the memory.

"I'll have a short stack, a scrambled egg, and a cup of coffee. Thanks." Emma said handing her the menu.

Emma pulled her phone from her pocket to check the signal strength. She saw that she had four missed calls and four waiting messages. The first was from her brother, August, asking about the house and three from her office at work.

Emma took the time to return the calls to work and update her boss on her progress. Her boss was anything, but thrilled, when she informed him of her plans to take a leave of absence. Sidney Glass, the editor-in-chief, was a hard man to bargain with.

Emma worked at a small publishing house as an editor. She had a handful of clients who had a lot of promise and were due to release sequels. Sidney had made valid points as to why now was not a good time, but he finally signed off, with some conditions.

Emma agreed to work remotely from the house once she had the house put, "on grid," with the necessities of a home office. She was having half her office shipped in two weeks. Emma had a hard time leaving her laptop behind, with her assistant.

She never took vacation, if she could help it. She rarely took a sick day, and most days you could find her locked in her office, sitting in her pj's editing and emailing till late in the night. Her mantra is to keep her mind busy at all times.


	4. Chapter 4

Just playing with the characters, I will put them back unblemished when I'm finished.

Thanks for reading.

Chapter 4

* * *

Emma stopped in at the hardware store to stock up on supplies. She bought batteries, a couple of lanterns, candles, and a tool box filled with tools, that Marco, the store manager thought she might need. She also talked with Marco, about the amount of land she inherited and how a new lawn tractor would help. He did not sell her on the idea, yet.

Emma's last stop before returning to the house was the market. She wanted to be able to have a little something around if she needed a snack. She figured a box of crackers and some fruit would tie her over for a day or so.

Emma arrived home a little after noon and went right to work. She opened curtains and windows, letting some early spring air in. Early April nights were cold and chilly, but days were quite pleasant with highs in the high sixties.

"Some fresh air will do this place some good." Emma said throwing up another filthy window.

Emma walked into the formal dining room and pulled the grey dusty sheet from the table and chairs. A cloud of thick fine dust floated in the air, before settling on the open surfaces below. She folded the sheet the best she could without erupting into a sneezing fit.

She set the groceries and tools on the table as her base of operations. A loud slam crashed above her head, shaking the crystal chandelier. Emma jumped and looked at the ceiling, fearing it was caving in.

"What the hell?" She said watching the chandelier sway.

She nervously climbed the stairs to the upper level, mentally accounting for each door in the house and that they had been locked.

"It has to be an animal." she hoped.

The sound came from the same bedroom on the left as last nights rustling. Emma opened the door scanning the dark musty room. The stack of pictures that laid on the vanity last night, were now on the floor scattered around. She stepped around the photos to open the curtains and let the sun illuminate the room.

Emma bent down and collected the photos, realizing not all of the pictures were of family. A lady in her early forties with red hair, pale skin, and a petite frame, was in quite a few of the shots. It looked as though most were taken here at the house or out on the property, as Emma could make out the landmarks.

She looked at the vanity, where she noticed the photos last night, to check for animal prints. Emma could not find any movement in the dust. It appeared as if someone picked up the stack of pictures and dropped them on the floor.

Emma felt a cold prickly sensation run up her spine and she decided it was time to leave the room. She felt silly for feeling afraid and maybe there was a draft or another simple explanation. One she could not think of right now.

This was Aunt Ingrid's house and Emma's favorite place in the world. She always felt safe, warm, and welcome here, but maybe that feeling was all her aunts doing. It had Emma thinking maybe this house was nothing more than a building full of memories.

She made her way down the stairs in a hurry and decided to start making the house look more like a home than a museum. Emma pulled one sheet after another off of the furniture pieces in the Great room throwing the dusty sheets into the corner.

The Great rooms decor was done in a Neoclassical Revival style, to match the architecture of the house. When Emma and her siblings stayed they were not allowed to sit on the furniture. The rule only lasted two years before Ingrid claimed, "It wasn't good for anything , if it couldn't serve its purpose."

Ingrid was very open minded and wanted to instill the behavior in her niece. She always said, "A person should only have ideas that can change. A person who has beliefs does not want to change, and you'll have to watch out for them." She would wink at Emma after telling her the saying. She still hears her aunt saying those words to her when she is frustrated with someone's judgements.

Emma finished sweeping the floor in the Great room and dumped the dirt and dust bunnies off the side of the front porch. Emma looked at the sky and saw dark storm clouds moving in from the west.

"So much for having the windows open." She sighed .

Emma returned to the room and came to an abrupt stop as a black shadow figure crossed the doorway of the dining room and disappeared into the wall.

"Hello!" Emma squeaked out.

Rubbing her eyes, she slowly proceeded into the dining room checking the corners for intruders. She decided to blame the light and clouds moving in for her eyes playing tricks on her. She pulled the bag of candles out and lit a few.

She could hear a low rumble reverberate in the distance. The wind picked up and the scent of rain drifted through the house. Emma ran to the windows to shut as many as she could before the big drops started to fall.

She lit more candles and placed them in the sconces on the wall. Emma heard movement on the porch and a dark looming figure passed by the windows, she jumped when it hit the door. She took a deep breath and walked to the door.

Emma opened the door and was hurled into the past. The familiar knot she had in her stomach returned with a vengeance. She was 17 again and her best friend and first crush made her stomach flip just by looking at her.

Regina stood there dripping from the rain. The raindrops looked like glitter on her olive skin. Her brown hair, that was so soft and smelled of apples, was soaked and matted to her head. She was lean, toned and wearing blue jeans that hugged her thighs. Emma could see time had been extremely good to Regina.


	5. Chapter 5

I am really enjoying writing this and sharing it with you. I don't own Once upon a Time, just playing with the pieces and I will put them back when I am done. Let me know what you think. Thanks.

* * *

Holding the door, Emma realized Regina was still standing there.

"Come in, sorry."

Regina walked in and put her toolbox down on the table. She pulled out her notebook and looked around, "Well, city girl, first things first. You need to get a fire started, or you will freeze tonight. Ingrid always kept a nice supply of wood by the backdoor." She made eye contact with Emma. "I'm going to take a look at the fuse panel, see what we are working with. Can you handle the fire?"

"Yeah, thanks." Emma said, trying to keep herself grounded.

Regina ventured down the dark steps, toolbox and flashlight in hand. She flashed the light against the wall with the fuse panel. She followed a trail of water down the wall with her light beam. It pooled into the electrical box and slowly drained out of the lower hinge on the side.

Regina pulled the front of the panel open and the trapped water inside rushed out, spilling to the ground. The water flowed to the middle of the floor where a large muddy puddle formed over the plugged drain. Regina sighed, wrote some repair notes into her notebook, and headed back up the stairs.

Emma piled the wood into the large fireplace and was grateful to find a package of firestarters. She lit a match, touching it to several spots before tossing it in. She watched the fire spread and wind around the logs till it was ablaze.

The fire sizzled and popped, instantly making the house feel calmer. The glow of the warm orange flames cast their light through the Great room and into the dining room. Emma was in a daze watching the fire and enjoying the warmth. She felt a presence come up beside her and startled.

"I'm sorry, I thought you heard me." Regina reached out to steady Emma.

Emma calmed herself and giggled at her jumpiness, "Being in this big dark house has made me a bit jumpy."

"I see that." Regina said smiling, the fire shadows dancing on her face. Her smile faded and went solemn. "We have a problem."

"What do you mean" Emma asked, not sure where the conversation was going.

"The electrical panel, it's fried, and there's water in the basement."

"Okay." Emma said relieved the problem was the house and not her. "What about the plumbing?"

"This house is outside the towns' water supply; so it has it's own well. The pump is electric, without power, no water. I had made plans with Ingrid, shortly before her fall to put in an emergency generator. She was worried about getting older and the storms, but I never had the chance. There is still the old hand pump out by the vegetable garden."

Regina sat down cross legged in front of the fire and patted the floor next to her. "Sit"

Emma sat down and gazed into the flames, processing the news.

"Well, what's the plan? Is it fixable? Do I bother? What should I do?" She turned to Regina at a loss.

"You have a lot of questions." She smiled. "It will be fine. There's a ton of work to do here, I'm not going to lie, but your aunt wanted you to have this place."

"Why? Why did she leave the house to me? I was so shocked when I found out." Emma said, needing clarity.

"She always talked about you. No one could hold a torch to you. She loved you so much and was so proud of you. You were her little college girl. She really took it hard when you disappeared. She would get quiet and say, "She'll come around once she get's things figured out." "I'm angry with you, too" Regina finished quietly, not meaning for the last part to slip out.

Emma looked at Regina stunned. "I loved my aunt very much, but there are things she didn't know about me. If she knew about those things she would have felt differently."

"I don't know if those "things" really matter now, do they?" Regina said trying to rein in her anger and hurt.

Emma felt her face flush and her fists clench. She stood up and thunder clapped overhead knocking her a little of balance. "You don't know anything!"

"I know your aunt laid in the hospital dying, and asking for you!" Regina said standing up. "I know that I tried to comfort her and assure her that you were coming, knowing that I was lying to her."

Emma felt herself wilt inside. She wanted to cry, but not in front of Regina. She wanted to go back in time to make things right. She wanted to scream at her parent's for making her feel so ashamed of who she is. She wanted to be there for her aunt.

"You were there when she passed?" Emma asked quietly.

"Yes I was." Regina said. "Ingrid was there for me when I went through some really tough times. It was my turn to be there for her, plus I really did enjoy spending the time with her."

"Thank you." Emma said somberly.

Regina could see Emma had enough and she did not want there first meeting to be this intense. The last thing Regina wanted to do was scare Emma off after she finally came back. She knew she needed to give Emma space and she wanted to know what happened to her.

"Listen, it's late and the rain has slowed down. I'm going to go, but I'll be back tomorrow, okay? I'll bring Killian with me. He's the best electrician in Eastern Iowa. We will get this house up and running." She smiled, collected her stuff and left.

Emma put another log on the fire and decided tonight she would sleep close to the fire. The temperature plummeted and the rain turned to an icy mixture. Emma hoped Regina would be okay on her trip home.


	6. Chapter 6

Emma pulled a dusty photo album off the bookcase and opened it. The face of her former self smirked back at her. She could remember the day and the happiness she felt. It seemed like yesterday, but it also felt like another lifetime ago, too. The happy girl in the photo at the pond, or in the garden, was confident and proud. She didn't back down from a fight or a challenge.

Emma could pin point the exact moment that girl disappeared. She went away that Christmas when she came out to her parents at 19. When she went back to school she threw herself into her studies and ended the relationship with Stephanie.

Emma felt so ashamed of being gay, not an emotion she was accustomed to. She didn't know how to cope with the abandonment of her family and there disgust. Her family never seemed to have any particular dislike of anyone and she didn't know she should hide herself from them.

She carried so many negative and angry feelings and they were both battling for attention. There was no room for her girlfriend or future girlfriends in that mess. She has kept to herself, not letting anyone get to close, or know the real Emma. It's been safer and easier this way.

There were pictures of her mom and dad smiling down at a beautiful toddler. She could see in there faces, the love and adoration they had for her. She also saw there faces, when she remembered that cold December night after getting home from Aunt Ingrid's. She couldn't make sense of the love in there eyes that day to the disgust and horror of there faces when she was older.

Emma was adopted at 4 by the Swans. They gave her a good life, after such a rough start. The Swans had always treated Emma as thier own, until that night. She has always wondered if she was biologically theirs, would the outcome have been different.

Emma wanted so badly to not let her parent's feelings of her dictate her own, but growing up that's what most children identify with. She never could let that identity go, and she clung to it. She had the same dream that many sons or daughters have, to be accepted by her family.

Emma closed the album and put it away on the shelf. She retrieved her bag from the bedroom and laid it out next to the warm fire. She crawled in and gazed at the fire. The flames danced and a low rumble of thunder came closer announcing a new round of storms.

She reflected on the days events and narrowed in on being with Regina. She wanted so badly to reach out and caress her face. Her olive toned skin looked even more beautiful in the fire light. Emma's stomach tightened when she thought of Regina's hand on her arm. Emma felt the same electric tingle on her skin that she felt as a teenager.

The girls met when they were five years old and became instant friends. They looked forward to the summers together and hated when it ended, but they stayed in touch during the school year. Once a month they would take turns calling each other and Regina would spend a week with Emma during winter break. No matter how much time passed between the girls they would pick up where they left, like they were never apart.

When Emma turned sixteen she started to have romantic feelings towards Regina. She had always liked girls, but Emma thought eventually she would fall for some nice guy who wasn't to nerdy or to popular. She never developed any relationships with the guys, but had plenty of guy friends.

Regina would call her during the school year to talk about her newest crush or new boyfriend and Emma would pick boys names out of her classes to participate in the conversation. It would hurt sometimes, so bad that Emma wished she could feel differently. She would pray to God at night that she could fall in love with someone else, anyone else.

Emma fell asleep quickly and started to dream.

She could see the house at the top of the hill. She walked up the path and into the house. It looked the same as last night when she arrived, only it felt darker. The house had a very ominous feeling to it. The books on the shelves started to fly off the shelves as if being tossed by an invisible person. Echoes of ghostly children laughing resonded in the air and there were footsteps running up the stairs. The footsteps continued up and down the hall going into the bedrooms and slamming the doors. Someone whispers Emma's name into her ear and a cold breath blows her hair. She keeps walking forward, scared to stay still. She enters the dining room, it's cold and empty with no furniture. The blinds snap up on the windows and a blood curdling scream sounds through the air.

Emma wants to cover her ears, the shrill is sharp and hurts. She keeps walking and steps through the doorway to the kitchen. It is spring, the birds are singing, sun is shining and the windows are open wide. A gentle fresh breeze wafts into the kitchen where Aunt Ingrid is at the counter putting together an apple pie. Aunt Ingrid hears Emma come in and turns around smiling with her arms open wide. Emma steps into her aunts embrace and is safe.

Emma woke to the sun and a cold fireplace.

"I would kill for a hot shower." Emma crawled out of her bag and checked her watch. "Wow, I haven't slept this late in awhile."

She changed into a clean pair of jeans and a sweater. She looked into the dusty fireplace mirror and pulled her brush through her hair to put it up into a pony tail. She rolled up her sleeping bag and stuffed her dirty clothes into a sack. Emma noticed, while she was cleaning up, that the photo album was laying face up on the floor.

She picked it up and the pictures were of Easter, when she was eight years old. Aunt Ingrid had the family out for an Easter egg hunt and backyard picnic. It was a very warm and beautiful day, Emma helped her aunt bake an apple pie for dessert.

Emma closed the album and put it back onto the shelf, locked the front door and headed down the hill to her car. She would need to ask Regina about the driveway, either re-graveling or paving it. It looked very treacherous for a car as it is.

Emma sat down in the same booth at the diner as the previous morning. Granny was passing out the morning paper and filling up coffee cups, when she spotted Emma. Granny fetched an extra cup and sat it down in front of Emma. A steming cup of cocoa with extra cinnamon.

"You look like you need this. Was it a rough night?"

"Sort of." Emma said, picking the cup up and holding it with both hands. She inhaled the aroma deeply.

Granny sat down opposite Emma in the booth, with an intense look. "Listen, Regina told me the house is in bad shape, so Ruby and I were talking and we would like you to stay with us, just till the electricity is up and running."

"I'm touched by your concern, but I really need to be at the house," Emma saw Grannys face fall. "but I could really use a shower."

"You got it!" Granny slapped the table, happy to be able to help. "And you'll stay for dinner, and bring your laundry. Say, around seven." She scurried away with her coffee pot and started filling empty cups.

Emma's stomach started to growl when the young waitress from yesterday brought out a short stack, scrambled eggs, and a bowl of fresh fruit.

"Thank You." Emma said.

"Granny wants to know if you would prefer bacon or sausage?"

"Sausage, but this great." Emma said motioning to the food.

Ruby nodded and made her way back to the kitchen. She returned minutes later with a plate of sausage links and a fresh cup of cocoa. She smiled as she set it down and went to take the order of a young couple who came in with there toddler.

Emma finished and walked to her car. The smell of lilacs blooming in the air calmed her anxieties as she thought about dinner. She still didn't know where to find a decent bottle of wine in town. She decided to take a gamble with a mid priced Merlot and a Cabernet Sauvignon that she found in the grocery store.

When she finished checking out she decided to head home in case Regina was still coming to the house with the electrician. The way things went last night she wasn't sure Regina would be in any hurry to rush back over. Emma did hope this, "Killian the electrician", could work miracles with as bad as the damage was.

Emma found herself revisiting last night as she drove out of town. She had to keep pulling her attention back to the road. She kept visualizing Regina sitting by the fire.

Regina was so beautiful, and the feelings of seeing her again after all the passed time hadn't lessened the attraction Emma had for her. Emma wandered if Regina was dating anyone or worse, if she was married. The thought made Emma feel jealous and nauseous.

The rental car came to a stop as Emma parked it in the spot she claimed as hers. She noticed the black truck with the, "Henry's Handy Service" logo had managed it's way up the drive. Emma also remembered she had locked the door, but it was wide open. She could hear rock music blaring and was thankful for not having neighbors to complain.

"Hello!" She shouted and turned the radio's volume down.

Regina and Killian emerged from the basement stairwell laughing at some joke that was told.

"Hey," Regina said, "I had a key so I thought we woud go ahead and get started."

"Hello, Ms. Swan. I'm Killian." He held out his hand to shake Emma's, "I'll get the house up and running before you know it." He looked at Regina, "I'll be back."

Killian took the truck and went to town for supplies and parts that were needed. Regina stayed with Emma to update her on the progress that was being made. She also thought maybe she could target in on what was going on with Emma.

"Did I do something to upset you?" Regina asked.

"Why do you have a key." Emma asked agitated.

"Your aunt gave it to me. I worked on the house for her before the accident. The company that she hired to take care of the property ran off with her money, so I would stop by to make sure vandals didn't get in. If it would make you feel better, you can have it." Regina fished the key out of her pocket and handed it to Emma.

"No, you keep it." Emma turned away from Regina, "I'm sorry, I was in a crappy mood. I'm having a hard time adjusting, that's all."


	7. Chapter 7

Thank you for all the follows. This chapter explains the extremes some religions go, to hurt and divide our families. It could be **triggering,** so just to be on the safe side. Please read and review!

Chapter 7

* * *

Regina had been hurt by Emma's disappearance, shortly after their graduation. She wanted to know why? Why she stayed away and how she could stay away, without a call or a letter? What had she done to Emma for her to treat her that way? Regina felt she deserved at least a good-bye.

When Regina called Emma's dorm and her roommate told her she moved out, she called Emma's parents. Emma's mother was anything but helpful. They told her; "She was no longer their problem and if Regina had any sense she would stay away from Emma."

Regina was horrified by what Emma's parents had said. She was panic stricken and went straight to Ingrid in hysterics. An hour later, Ingrid was able to get the story from Regina and immediately called her sister.

Ingrid recieved the same answer as Regina, but she continued to question her sister about Emma's further where abouts further.

"Where is my niece?" Ingrid rose her voice.

"I assume she's back at school, but I don't know or care." Cindy stated coldly.

"Why are you acting this way? Did you two have a fight?"

"No, your niece has decided to take the path of Satan!" She spat out, "and I told her that she was no longer a member of this family."

"What? Are you feeling ok, Cindy?" Ingrid asked, thinking her sister was sick, combined the wrong medications, or was out of her mind. She was not making any sense at all.

"Don't you act like I'm crazy. I'm not and I did not raise her to be like that."

"Cindy, what did she do?" Ingrid asked, tiring of the dramatics.

"She's a GAY! She is dating a woman! I won't have that in my family. I have two other kids..."

Ingrid didn't hear or want to hear the rest of her sister's rant. She felt like someone had kicked her in the stomach. The air was completely sucked out of her and she wanted to throw up. She never thought, or maybe hoped that Emma wouldn't be gay. Ingrid knew how her sister felt about homosexuals.

When Ingrid and Cindy were girls, their parents were members of a very strict Evangelical church. Every Sunday they sat in those wooden pews listening to a man, who only God spoke to, preach. He would preach about how the man was the master of the house and the woman was to serve him. He said woman were the godly property of the man.

The preacher would preach about gayness and how, "homosexuals," were afflicted with the disease of the devil. One Sunday, the entire congregation had to take an, "Oath of Love" The oath stated that if they ever came in contact with a gay, they were to turn there back to them. They were not to have any further contact or relations with that person whether friend or family member. The reason behind the oath was the evil would creep into the believers soul and damn them both to hell.

Ingrid couldn't believe this was happening. She knew Cindy was a big believer in the church when they were younger, but Emma was her own child. Her first born child, the most gentle, loving, who never argued, and always wanted to please everyone in her life. How could anyone do this to their baby?

Ingrid was struck with terror. She was worried at how all this was affecting Emma and how she was coping. She knew how sensitive Emma is and with the disappointment of her mother, Ingrid hoped she would not do anything dangerous. She placed the phone back on the cradle and turned to Regina.

"We'll find her, ok?"

Ingrid and Regina spent the next few years looking for Emma. They called the school, but were given excuses about how they could not give out personal information. They tried internet searches, hired a lousy P.I. and came up empty. It was as if Emma fell off the face of the planet. Ingrid decided to just give Emma time and eventually she would come back.

Regina stayed quiet a few minutes while she worked up the nerve to ask Emma the questions she had.

"Emma, where did you go?"

Emma looked at Regina and smiled, "I just went to get some breakfast."

"Emma, I'm being serious."

Emma took a deep breath and knew it was time to answer about her where abouts.

"Well, after I went back to school, I found out that my parents weren't kidding about wanting nothing to do with me. They cut off all funding, so I lost my dorm and any financial help with school. I got a couple of jobs and moved from one roach infested room to another. I applied for financial aid, but was denied because my parents made to much. So, I continued to work and then moved into a little studio above a Thai restaurant."

"We tried to find you, but would run into a roadblock and be right back at square one. Ingrid was sure you would just show up, but you never did." Regina finshed softly.

Emma folded her arms and stared out the window letting herself go back into the past.

"After I made it through college with scholarships and loans, I started to keep in touch with August, only because he tract me down in New York. He said he missed me and was tired of all the rules my parents placed on the relationship. He also told me he would never tell my parents that he was speaking to me."

Emma felt Regina's hand on her shoulder. Emma let herself feel the warmth and weight of her friends hand, before pulling away to continue. She needed space to be able to feel that part of her life that she locked away.

"August, told me about Ingrid's fall and that she tried to find me, but my parents. I almost came back on several occasions, but every time I started to book plane tickets, I couldn't." Emma looked at Regina waiting to see the judgment in her eyes.

She did not see judgment, but instead warmth and patience. Emma could tell Regina wanted to understand, begged for more explanation, but no, Emma wanted to leave the past and move on.

"Emma I have missed you, worried, and wandered about you so often that I still can't believe you are here. I am terrified of leaving you, because I don't know if you will disappear." Regina said, hating the amount of vunerability in her voice and waver in her body.

Emma felt horrible, she never thought about how her staying away would hurt people. She assumed no one would want anything to do with her and she was just protecting them. Emma could see how badly her actions hurt Regina and it was killing her.

"I am really sorry that I stayed away far so long and I promise I will not do anything like that again."

The emotions in Reginas' eyes broke Emma's heart. She couldn't keep the distance between them and needed to hold Regina. Emma reached for her and Regina fell against her. The dam broke for both women.

The front door opened and Killian came in carrying a new electrical panel box and parts for it. He could sense there was an emotional upheaval taking place. He was a joker and felt the need to lighten the mood.

"Ladies, there is no need to cry, Killian is back!" He said running over for a group hug.

"Nice try Killian." Regina said pushing out of the embrace. She dried her tears and gave Killian a glare.

"What? You can't blame a guy for trying, love." He smirked. "I think Emma might have been down."

"With kicking your ass, sure!" Emma said playfully.

Regina looked at her watch and realized it was getting late. Her Granny was expecting them at 6:30 and she did not like company being late. She helped get the materials down in the basement and tossed Killian her keys.

"I'm gonna ride in with Emma, will you take the truck?"

"Sure, I love driving the beast." He said heading out the front door.

Regina helped Emma get her laundry and the bottles of wine down to the car. They were both emotionally tired and hyper aware of each other. The drive was very peaceful, with the windows down and the hillsides changing from winter brown to spring green.


	8. Chapter 8

Finally updating, this is the dinner, yay! Super excited about all the follows and favs!

(Again, I don't own Once Upon a Time, I am just playing with the pieces and will put them back when I am finished.)

Chapter 8

* * *

They pulled into Granny"s driveway and turned off the ignition. Regina looked at Emma and clutched her hand.

"Are you ready for a blast from the past. I swear Granny hasn't changed a thing." She let go of Emma and jumped out with the wine.

Emma grabbed her laundry and they headed in. Regina was right, they hadn't changed anything. It was the same furniture, carpet, paint, wallpaper, and decor. The aroma, however was heavenly. The smell of tomatoes, garlic, basil, onion, and thyme was making Emma's mouth water.

Granny came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands on the towel she always had over her shoulder. She glowed when she saw the girls in her livingroom.

"Look at you two!" She reached out hugging Regina and then Emma. "I am so glad you could come. Dinner will be ready shortly. Let me have your clothes, I'll get those started."

"Mrs. Luc... I mean Granny, I can do my laundry." Emma said looking at Regina, who was shaking her head.

"Don't be silly, you are my guest, come on don't be shy. I used to wash your clothes when you would stay the night." She said, taking the bag from Emma. "Now you go get cleaned up, and Regina, honey will you set the table."

Emma nodded and made her way down the hall to the bathroom. It felt so surreal, the family photos on the wall were the same as when she was younger. She had to look at herself in the mirror to reassure herself that she was still 30.

She found the rose colored towels, Granny had laid out for her and started the shower. Emma could not wait to be under the steamy streams of water. She quickly peeled out of her clothes and climbed in sliding the shower door shut.

She stood under the water, with her eyes closed thinking about all the time she spent trying to forget and block this place and people from her mind. It was strange to be back and it was an even stranger feeling to Emma, that she desperately did miss it. She shampooed her hair twice before conditioning it and scrubbed the grime off her skin till it was red and tingling.

Emma wrapped the soft pink towel around herself and stepped out. She noticed that she had a visitor while in her tranquil serenity. Some one replaced her dirty clothes with a soft, fresh set of purple sweats. Emma was thankful, but modest and felt more comfortable with the thought of, Granny being the one who delivered them.

She pulled on the sweats and brushed her hair. Emma felt like a million bucks, but her stomach was not letting her forget about the food that was waiting. She straightened the bathroom and made her way back to the kitchen.

Regina was sitting at the table folding napkins and chatting with her grandmother. Granny was flitting about putting finishing touches on the meal and Henry, Regina's father was still missing in action.

"Can I help with anything?" Emma asked, approaching carefully.

"No, no. You are our guest. You've been living out in the wild, let me spoil you." Granny replied, concerned. Her brow furrowed into the motherly worried expression Emma had become accustomed to, when Granny would speak with her. "You sit and relax a minute before dinner."

Emma had a seat at the table and met Regina's gaze.

"What?"

"Nothing. I was just thinking how nice you clean up after living in the wild." Regina, grinned mischievously.

Emma threw her newly folded napkin at her.

"I'm just saying, you look nice without the twigs and birdnests in your hair."

"Enough, Regina, go tell your father dinner is ready."

Regina watched her father lovingly read his paper, while reclined in his recliner, wearing the silly monster feet slippers she bought him for father's day. She is so thankful for her father and all he has done for her. He raised Regina, with the help of her Granny, after her mother left them for a film producer in California.

"Daddy, dinner."

Henry lowered his paper and smiled, "Alright, sweetie, I'll be right there."

They sat down at the table and Henry asked everyone to join hands and bow their heads. Emma's stomach instantly tied into a knot, as the flashbacks of her own family swirled through her head. Henry started the prayer.

"O Lord, we thank you for the gifts of your bounty, which we enjoy at this table. As you have provided for us in the past, so may you sustain us throughout our lives. While we enjoy your gifts, may we never forget the needy and those in want. And thank you Lord for bringing 'Lil' Emma back home. Amen." He looked up and clapped his hands together. "Let's Eat!"

Emma was not expecting the last part of the prayer. She felt her cheeks heat up and she blushed in embarrassment. The knot in her stomach loosening while they passed the food around the table.

Granny really had outdone herself. She made homemade spaghetti noodles with fresh tomato sauce, garlic bread, roasted chicken, sauteed zucchini and peppers, and a pecan pie for dessert. Emma was feeling full just by looking at the food. She took one bite and could not believe how much she missed home cooking.

"So, Emma, the million dollar question is, where have you been keeping yourself?" Henry asked.

Regina shifted in her chair nervously and glanced at Emma over her garlic bread.

"Dad, I..."

"It's okay." Emma looked reassuringly at Regina and smiled. "I have been living in, New York City. I am an editor at, Cavalier Publishing." Emma finished, twirling her noodle on her fork.

"Honey, do you have any family out there?" Granny asked.

"No."

"How about a fella? Are you seeing anyone?" Henry asked.

"No. I've been to busy for the dating scene."

"Surely, there must be someone? Your such a pretty girl." Granny asked expectantly.

Emma glanced over at Regina for help.

"Granny, did you use your Grandmother's recipe for the sauce?" Regina asked, knowing that cooking questions would distract her grandmother.

"Yes, dear, can you tell? And I used Ingrid's recipe for the pecan pie. I thought Emma might like that." She smiled at Emma.

"Yeah Granny, tastes amazing"

"Regina, how long till you get Emma out of the dark?" Henry asked.

"Should only be another day or two. Just as long as the rest of the parts come in. My fingers are crossed. So are Emma's." Regina said, patting Emma on the leg.

Emma was not expecting Regina to touch her. When her hand touched Emma's leg, it sent an electrical current straight between her legs. She jumped, knocking over her wine glass and spilling it across the table.

"I'm so sorry!" Emma said trying to clean up the mess with her napkin.

"It's alright dear. I got it." Granny had jumped up and blotted the spill before it trickled to the floor.

She has cat like reflexes, from the all the accidents in the diner. Emma was thoroughly embarrassed. She never reacted that way to anyone's touch, not that anyone had touched her in awhile, her life had been agonizingly solitary.

Emma finished her dessert and Granny collected the dishes. She told Regina to take Emma out to the porch and to take their wine with them, while she cleaned up. Regina grabbed the bottle and the glasses.

"You heard Granny, we got to ske-daddle." She said walking out to the porch.


	9. Chapter 9

I do not own Once Upon a Time, just playing around. I'll dust the pieces off and put them back when I am done.

Chapter 9

* * *

Regina set the glasses down on the porch railing and topped them off. She handed Emma her glass and sat down on the porch swing, patting the seat next to her. Emma sat down happily, the wine was going straight to her head.

"Sorry, about all the questions. They were worried about you, too."

"It's alright, they were normal questions anyone would ask." Emma said shrugging her shoulders.

They sat quietly swinging, letting dinner settle and the liquid warmth of the wine buzz in their heads. Regina was remembering her childhood and how excited she would get at this time of year. She would start counting the days till summer, when school would end and her favorite person would be back.

"Are you going to plant the garden?" Regina asked, breaking the silence.

"I don't know?" Emma said trying to phrase her answer delicately, but honestly. "I'm not sure how long I'll be staying."

"So, what kind of time frame do I have to work with?"

"One, maybe two months. Do you think the house will be done by then?" The realization hitting her that she didn't have as much control over the situation as she originally thought.

"Oh yeah. I just wanted to know how much time I had to change your mind." Regina said taking a long slow drink of her wine.

She stood up and refilled her glass half way and then filled Emma's glass before returning to her spot. Emma looked out into the dark yard, making out the shadows of the landmarks. She took a deep breath before making eye contact with Regina.

"Reg, I have a life in New York. I will have to go back."

"You have a life here, too. I just want to remind you and I'm not gonna make it easy to leave." Regina smirked at Emma and pushed off with her feet, swinging the swing faster.

Emma shook her head and smiled at her friend. She downed the last of the wine in her glass and sat back. The breeze was light, but warm and the windchimes made a beautiful song. Regina stopped the swing and retrieved the bottle of wine and emptied it into Emma's glass.

I'll get the other bottle." Regina disappeared into the house, before Emma could object.

Emma was feeling so calm and relaxed. She was sure the wine had a little bit to do with it, but it may also be the town. New York is on another planet compared to Winchester.

She liked New York, even as rough as it's edges and appearance could be. New York accepted her and many other people with open arms. It had been hard in the beginning, but she made it and the city showed her she could. Emma felt as if she were cheating on her beloved city just by being in Winchester.

The biggest difference between the two places, besides the obvious, was that she could disappear. She could merge in among the crowds and be invisible. No one cared who she was, or what her story was, they had there life and she had hers.

Regina returned with the white wine and checked Emma's glass. "You haven't finished that yet?"

"I have a feeling, you are trying to get me drunk." Emma smirked.

"Me, I would never do something like that. Besides we are celebrating."

"What exactly are we celebrating?"

"This is the first time we are drinking together, legally." Regina snickered.

"You're right! I'll toast to that and Aunt Ingrid's strawberry wine."

They toasted, giggled, and reminisced about the time they took a jug of, Aunt Ingrid's homemade strawberry wine. It was a clear night and the girls pitched a tent a ways from the house. They were 15 and a little big for their britches.

Emma had devised a plan to smuggle out some alcoholic beverage since they were almost grown anyway. When the girls knew they were completely alone and there would not be any surprise visits from Ingrid or Emma's siblings, Emma brought out the jug. She also smuggled 2 wine glasses, 2 sleeves of crackers, a block of cheese, and a bag of cookies.

The girls had an enjoyable time. They drank the sweet liquid like juice, demolished the cheese and crackers, and half the bag of cookies. They danced wildly under the moon and stars till the galaxy started spinning and tilting. The girls passed out a little after three in the morning.

Regina was the first to wake at 9:45. She felt horrible and could swear an angry swarm of bees made a hive in her head while she slept. Emma woke with a start, she crawled from the tent dry heaving. The girls made it half way to the house before they threw up.

Aunt Ingrid was making breakfast and a pot of coffee when she spotted the girls. She ran down to help them to the house. She could smell the strawberry alcohol and knew this was no ordinary flu, but she would deal with that later. They made their way to the bathroom.

Ingrid started the bath and left Regina with the toilet, while helping Emma to the second floor bath. Aunt Ingrid helped each girl into a warm bath after they finished their vomiting spell. She went to work making a hangover concoction for each girl to drink and an aspirin.

The girls finished their drinks and baths, Aunt Ingrid dressed them in soft pjs and tucked them into bed. They slept all day, exhausted from the vomiting and poisoned blood. Ingrid checked on them every hour and they never budged.

Ingrid put a call into Regina's Granny shortly after the girls were in bed. Granny was disappointed in Regina's behavior, but she knew teenagers would be teenagers. She also told Ingrid that Regina would be grounded for the next week. Ingrid thought the girls had been punished enough, but understood.

"You know, I didn't touch alcohol again, till I was 26, at a work function." Emma said, while Regina poured the Pinot into Emma's glass.

"I can not say I was that good. I got into a lot of trouble when I was around 20."

"Whoa, what kind of trouble?" Emma asked her.

"I got pretty crazy, a couple DUI.'s and a year of probation, not to mention countless hours of community service."

"Wow, really, what was going on?" Emma asked in shock.

"You're Aunt called it grieving."

"Who died?"

Regina scoffed and stood up looking at Emma.

"I was grieving you." She said softly.

Emma was dumbfounded."I'm not sure what to

say."

"There's nothing to say."

Emma set her glass down on the side table and stood, "Regina, I..." The porch went sideways when Emma took a step towards Regina.

Regina was fast, she saw Emma lose her balance and stepped forward catching Emma in her arms.

"I think you have succeeded." Emma said, looking up at Regina.

"I think you might be right." Regina pulled Emma up and helped her sit back on the swing. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, but I don't know how I'm going to get home? Is there a taxi service?"

Regina laughed, she knew Emma was being completely serious about having a taxi service in Winchester.

"No, there is no taxi service and I will drive you home."

It was Emma's turn to laugh, "You're going to drive me? Ok, miss DUI. I don't think so."

"That's where you are wrong. I've had one glass of wine over an hour and a half ago. I'm fine." Regina said smiling. "I'll get your laundry, you stay right there."

Emma sat bewildered, trying to remember how many glasses of wine she drank and when the last drink Regina had. She picked her glass back up and finished the last swig. She figured it was good, so why waste it. She also started thinking about why, Regina had wanted to get her drunk. In her drunken state she told herself, "That Regina is a tricky one."


	10. Chapter 10

Just wanted to tell everyone, thank you for the Follows, Favorites, and Reviews! I love opening my email to find new readers have been by. As always I do not own Once upon a time, just playing around with my favorite ladies and a few other characters.

I have been sitting on this for a while now and am getting close to the end of what I've written, which means I need to get writing some more. I wish I could just sit at the computer and have it flow through my fingers, but I have to write everything out by hand and then rewrite on the computer. So enough of me whining on with chapter 10.

Chapter 10

* * *

Regina came out of the house with Emma's clothes basket of clean and folded laundry. She walked it to the car and put it in the back seat. She threw the keys that Emma left in the bathroom onto the driver's seat and ran up to the porch.

Granny and Henry came out onto the porch to give Emma a good bye hug.

"Thank you so much for dinner, and the shower, oh and my clothes. You guys are the greatest."

Granny gave Emma a bear hug and told her to get some rest. Regina held Emma with her arm around her waist and holding Emma's arm close to her, while she directed her to the car. Regina buckled Emma in and started the car.

"I can't believe I feel like this," Emma said closing her eyes.

"Well, you did drink a whole bottle yourself."

"How could you let me do that?" Emma whined.

"I thought you needed to relax, let your hair down. You have been wound up tighter than a spring since you got here. It hurt, just looking at you."

"I am not. I've just been adjusting, that's all." Emma crossed her arms over her chest and started to pout.

Regina chuckled at Emma's childishness. She drove the speed limit, if not slower, in hopes that a smooth ride would be easiest on Emma. Regina looked back over at Emma and could tell she fell asleep with her head resting on the window.

Regina drove the rest of the way back to Emma's house in silence. She listened to her friend breathing deeply next to her and wondered about the heartaches and obstacles she had to endure. Regina worried that it may be too late to get her best friend back.

Regina put the car in park at the bottom of Emma's hill. She needed to have her driveway re-graveled, it would make coming and going easier on Emma. Regina gently shook Emma's shoulder.

"Hey, Emma we're home."

Regina helped Emma out of the car, holding her arm. She was still very unbalanced and drunk. They made their way up the path and onto the porch. Regina put the key in the knob and gave it a turn. The door swung open into the darkness.

Regina was surprised at how dark the house was. Emma held on tightly to Regina, as they made their way through the blackness. They made it into the dining room before Regina stumbled over a chair.

"Are you ok?" Emma asked, holding onto the table and giggling.

"I'm fine," Regina said with a hint of wounded pride. She fumbled around on the table feeling for the lantern.

Regina turned the knob on the battery powered LED lantern. The light expanded out through the room and Regina let out her breath and relaxed. She didn't know why she felt so on edge, but her skin tingled like it was about to thunderstorm.

Emma sat down at the table and looked at Regina. Emma could tell there was something off.

"Don't tell me you are scared of the dark?"

"No. I'm not. Where do you sleep?"

Emma pointed at the floor in front of the fireplace.

Regina walked over and unrolled Emma's sleeping bag. She could see it was a nice bag, but the floor is still hard.

"You sure you don't want to sleep in a bed?"

"No, the floor is fine."

Emma stood up and started walking towards the fireplace, just needing to lie down so the world would stop spinning.

Regina could tell Emma was not sober enough to be walking alone as she teetered. She rushed to her, as Emma lost her footing. Regina dropped to one knee and pulled Emma into her arms and stared down into her surprised eyes.

"Are you trying to hurt yourself?" Regina asked, almost demanding.

She was scared that Emma was going to hurt herself and she took inventory of Emma's body, before coming back to Emma's disorientated gaze and kissed her. She looked so vulnerable and open that Regina couldn't restrain herself.

Emma met Regina's lips with hunger. She wrapped her arms around Regina's neck and the passion burned deep in Emma's belly. Regina pulled Emma tighter feeling her breasts press against her body and she wanted to pull Emma even closer. She couldn't let her go.

Emma felt like she was going to lose control and she stopped herself, needing to rein herself back in. She pulled back and put her hand against Regina's chest, pushing her back. Regina acquiesced and helped Emma back on her feet.

Regina did not want to stop, she wanted to feel Emma. She finally had something to do with all of her pent up feelings. She tried to pull Emma to her, but Emma pulled away. She needed to know if she had gone too far but didn't want the answer to be yes.

"I think you should go," Emma said quietly.

Emma's head was spinning, the room was spinning, and her emotions were spinning out of control. She had wanted to kiss Regina the first time she came to the house. In fact, she had wanted to kiss her since she was 16.

She should have been happy, but all she could think about was Killian. They were involved with each other, weren't they? They seemed to have chemistry. Granny and Henry had been so nice to her. She felt like she had a family again for the first time in years. She couldn't do this and throw it all away. She just needed time to think.

"Emma, I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to take advantage of you, I swear."

"I just need you to go, please," Emma begged.

"Emma..." Regina started.

She wanted to explain herself when footsteps crossed the hall above their heads and then a door slammed shut.

Regina looked at Emma and then stared at the ceiling. She grabbed the flashlight off the mantle and took the steps two at a time. She was sure some kids from town had snuck in and were trying to hide out when they heard Regina and Emma come in.

She opened the bedroom door to the left and scanned the room, opening the closet door, and checking under the bed. Regina moved room to room, thoroughly checking every potential hiding spot. She could not find any intruders or any other visible break in evidence so she returned to Emma.

"Did you find anything?" Emma asked anxiously.

"No. And there's no way I am leaving you alone tonight. You're just gonna have to accept that, now climb into your bag and get some rest."

"What about you?"

"I'm gonna start a fire and stay right here." Regina pulled a wing back chair from the living room and put it next to Emma's sleeping bag.

Emma climbed into her bag and watched Regina bring the wood in. She knelt to stack the wood into the firebox. Emma was able to observe Regina while she worked. She wore khaki shorts that complimented her tan muscular legs. She also wore wool socks and ankle boots, Emma wondered if Regina ever got cold.

Regina concentrated on lighting the fire while Emma continued to admire her body, unaware. Emma's eyes traveled past Regina's waist and up to her breasts. Her breasts were beautiful and full. She could still feel them pressing against her, feeling the second flood of wetness dampen her panties, and her clit throbbed with want.

Emma couldn't get that kiss out of her head. She really needed time alone to get her feelings back under control and to take care of the ache between her legs. "Damn kids, animals, or whatever." Emma thought to herself shifting in her bag.

Regina sat back on her heels watching the fire spread. The flames started to dance and cast light and shadows through the room. She stared into the warmth, thinking about Emma and their kiss. She wished she could see into Emma's head and whether she overstepped her boundaries or gave Emma the push she needed.

Regina stood up and pulled the chair closer to the fire. The house was going to get chilly without the furnace kicking on. She settled into the chair and glanced down at Emma. She could tell Emma hadn't fallen asleep yet, even though her eyes were closed.

"What do you think the noise was?" She asked Emma.

"I don't know, maybe a rat," Emma said nonchalantly, trying not to think too hard about it.

"Right, a rat, whose debonair enough to wear boots and close doors behind itself."

"Just go to sleep. You can't hear things moving if you're sleeping. That's what I do."

"Wait. You've heard things like this before?"

Emma opened her eyes and looked up at Regina, seeing her tense.

"Regina? You all right?"

"Yes, I am fine."

Emma threw her sleeping bag open and scooted to the side.

"Come on, get in here. I can tell you aren't going to sleep up there by yourself."

Regina squeezed into the bag and zipped up the side. She rested her head on her arm and started to relax, looking into the flames. She could feel Emma's body relax into her's as she drifted off and realized it was still going to be a long night.


	11. Chapter 11

So this update is a little short, but I have a good one coming up tomorrow evening. 21 follows- Woot woot! I am excited. It's the little things in life!

Chapter 11

* * *

Emma cuddled into the warm covers, fighting against the sun glaring in through the windows. She could smell apples, cinnamon, and campfire. The smells were vaguely familiar and a memory was fighting to be remembered when her sleeping bag started to move and she heard a sleepy moan.

Emma's eyes snapped open as the night's events tumbled through her memory. Regina's sleeping body was not even an inch from her."Oh, shit!" slipped quietly from Emma's lips.

She looked at Regina's sleeping face. She was so beautiful and with her sleeping, she could stare as long as she wanted. Her soft full lips, with her cute little scar, that only hours before had been on hers. Her delicate eyelids that begged to be kissed lightly. Her olive toned jaw line that drew Emma's eyes down to Reginas' neck, that screamed to be sucked and marked with passion.

Emma had to get out of the bag before she lost control. She didn't want to disturb Regina, but her attempts of squirming out of her bag were failing.

"Regina. Regina, it's morning." Emma gently shook her shoulder.

"Give me five more minutes Granny." Regina slowly stretched and looked at Emma with a start. "What are you doing here?"

Emma smiled and watched Regina's face while she pieced together last night in her mind.

"Oh, right, special rats." Regina smiled.

"I have never been called, Granny. That's a new one."

"Sorry." Regina blushed. She unzipped the sleeping bag and rolled out onto the cold wood floor. Regina stood and stretched.

Emma slowly rose to her feet. Her head throbbed steadily while she rolled up the bag and sat it in the wingback chair.

"Would you like to get breakfast?" Regina asked.

"With you?"

"Yes, with me. Is that a problem, Miss Swan?"

"Yes. I mean No. I... Sorry, let me try that again." Emma took a breath, her cheeks pinkened. "Yes, let's get breakfast, and I really need to pee."

Regina grabbed the keys off the table and they made their way to the car. They were both quiet while waking up and Regina wondered if Emma could remember anything from last night. The silence was nerve wracking.

"So, we're gonna work day and night to get the power working and then we will need to talk about putting in that back up generator." Regina cracked the silence.

"That sounds kind of pricey."

"Emma, it's for your own safety. If there's a storm, you could be without utilities for days. Kind of like now."

"I'll think about it. One thing at a time, ok?" Emma smiled at Regina and continued the ride into town.


	12. Chapter 12

And here is Chapter 12.

* * *

Chapter 12

Emma dashed to the restroom, needing to dispose of all the wine from the previous night. Regina found a booth and slid in while waiting for Emma. Granny walked over with a couple of mugs and menus.

"I noticed you didn't come home last night," Granny said, topping off the mugs with scalding coffee. "Was that Emma that ran past, without even acknowledging me?"

"Yes, she really had to go," Regina whispered, not recognizing the first statement.

Emma returned a few minutes later, looking much more relieved. She slid her hands around the warm ceramic cup and inhaled deeply. She grabbed 4 sugar packets and a small cup of creamer, emptying and stirring. Emma moaned as she sipped the bitter liquid.

"Better?" Regina asked, watching Emma relish her coffee.

"Much."

"Well girls, how are we doing? Any lasting effects from..."

"No. We're fine." Regina cut off.

"I was just making sure everyone was..."

"Granny! We're good, can we get some breakfast?" Regina asked, irritated by her grandmother's meddling.

"Of course, honey." Granny smiled and winked at Regina and set the pot of coffee down on the table. "I'll get a couple of 'specials' right out."

Regina watched her granny go and turned back to Emma, "So, about your "rat" problem, have you set any traps or called, "Ghostbusters"?"

"No. I just ignore it and try to sleep."

"I gotta tell you, I have been there several times and never heard anything like that before."

"It's probably the house settling or air in the pipes. You're a handy person, you should know about those things." Emma tried explaining the noise away.

"You are right. I am a very "handy" person." Regina said an octave lower, dropping her eyes to Emma's lips and back to her eyes.

Emma nearly dropped her cup, when her phone rang in her pocket. Her calendar was reminding her of her next deadline. She thought she would have had more of her editing done on the new manuscript. Emma would have to call her boss and let him know it was going to take her a little longer.

"Everything alright?" Regina asked, concerned by Emma's facial expressions.

"Yep. Fine." Emma recovered and smiled.

Granny appeared with Ruby, her other granddaughter with their breakfast.

"Now, you two make sure you finish this, gotta keep your strength up."

Granny handed Emma a small cooler. "I know you aren't eating well. There are some leftovers from last night and a container of fresh fruit and veggies. You bring this back every morning and I will fill it for you." She patted Emma's hand with a no-nonsense demeanor.

"Thank you so much, Granny."

Emma wanted to tell her, she needed-not to go through all the trouble, but she stopped herself. She worried it would sound ungrateful. She was so touched by Granny's generosity, she fought off a wave of tears.

"Not a problem." Granny smiled and hurried back to the kitchen.

"You know you are so lucky to have such a great grandmother," Emma stated.

"I know. She is amazing, even if she meddles sometimes. She is always supportive and accepting. I wouldn't trade her for anything." Regina said, after swallowing her eggs.

Emma chatted easily with Regina. She felt at ease and relaxed, almost as if a peaceful calm had settled over her. She really enjoyed eating with another person and having someone to talk to. It was nice to talk about different things than deadlines, manuscripts, book signings, and advances.

Emma started to think maybe she could be honest with Regina. She should probably tell her that she is gay, and the reason why she stayed away. She wanted to protect Regina from herself and what people would say about her being friends with Emma.

"Regina, I need to tell you some..." Emma stopped as Killian slid in next to Regina.

He leaned over and kissed Regina on the cheek and stole a slice of bacon off her plate.

"I got some good news," Killian said crunching on his stolen bacon. "I just picked up the parts I needed for the electrical panel. Anton owed me a favor, so he made it happen."

Emma's stomach clenched and she fought the bile billowing in her throat. She took a large sip of orange juice and took a deep breath.

"That's great. And that's why I love you." Regina hugged Killian sideways, thrilled about the progress.

"Excuse me, I need to use the restroom." Emma fled from the booth and made her way to the restroom.

Emma's heart was beating in her ears and her eyes were leaking fluid. She was having trouble breathing when she caught her reflection in the mirror. Emma grabbed the porcelain sink and hated the way she appeared in the mirror. She took a deep breath and demanded herself to, "Get it together!"

Emma turned the faucet on and splashed her face with cold water. She washed her hands and dried her face. She took a final minute to compose herself before returning to the love birds at the table.

Killian and Regina were happily chatting away when she returned. Regina looked up making eye contact with Emma. She knew instantly that the atmosphere changed.

"Is everything ok?" Regina asked concerned.

"Yeah, everything is fine," Emma said, trying to sound nonchalant. "What is the plan?"

"We can head over to your place and get you out of the dark ages, for starters," Killian said confidently.

"Sounds good. I need to make a couple of stops, so I will meet you there." Emma laid a couple of twenties on the table, picked up the cooler with the left overs, and walked to her car.

Emma pulled out quickly and headed to the Winchester Post Office. She had her mail forwarded from New York to her new P.O. Box. She picked up her mail and a box of envelopes.

The day was beautiful as Emma sat in her car at the post office. She paid a few bills by phone and stuffed her junk mail in her glove box. She needed something to do with her time before going home. She did not want to be there while Regina and Killian were together.

Emma rounded the curve entering a new sub-division, taking the extended way home. She knew she couldn't stay away all day. Regina would get worried and probably send the town out looking for her. Emma pulled up in front of the house and parked behind Regina's black truck.

A road grader was making its way down the long driveway, leveling and flattening the erosion drain ways. A large dump truck was parked down the street with a mountain of pea sized gravel. Emma watched in disbelief and relief that Regina called the company in to do the job.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13 is tense and some questions will be answered, while more questions will be revealed. I can't wait to hear what you awesome people think!

Just got to throw this out there- I do not own Once Upon a Time or the characters. Just playing with the figures and I will put them away when finished.

* * *

Chapter 13

She walked in, yet again with blasting music and this time a power drill buzzing up from the basement. Emma followed the noise to the basement and was amazed at how far they had gotten. She had expected a jigsaw of bits and pieces strewn about the lower level and instead it was almost finished.

Killian looked up through his work glasses and smiled at Emma, "Any moment now you will be transported from, _Little House on the Prairie_ , to the new millennium!"

Killian went back to drilling and Regina walked Emma back up the stairs. Regina trusted Killian's skill, but freak accidents can still happen when working with electricity.

"I would feel safer with if you were up here. Electrical panels make me nervous, that's why Killian does them and not me," Regina explained. "Oh, and I hope you don't mind, but the drive way was treacherous so I called in a contractor."

"No, thank you, I really wanted that done."

"Graham assured me the drive would be finished tomorrow," Regina stressed.

"Great, I am really appreciative for all of your help!" Emma walked over to the window to watch the tractors in her drive way.

"Emma is there something wrong?"

"No, not at all."

Regina grabbed Emma's hand that was hanging by her side. She pulled Emma to her to get her attention.

"I feel like you have gotten distant again. Do you want to talk about last night?"

"No, absolutely not," Emma said quickly, looking towards the basement door.

Regina understanding Emma's cue tried to calm her, "he's busy and won't interrupt us."

"What? How can you say that?" Emma said angrily, feeling that she did not know Regina at all.

"Emma? I don't understand?" Regina took hold of both of Emma's arms trying to pull her closer.

"Don't! Let go of me," Emma snapped loudly and stumbled back, pulling her arms away from Regina.

Killian had stopped drilling and heard the shouting up the stairs. He put his drill down and jogged up the steps. He pretended to be thirsty and was getting a soda out of the cooler. Glancing into the dining room, he saw the girls were at a stand off and wished he stayed in the basement.

"Hey, what's going on?" He asked anyway.

"Tell him," Emma said.

"Tell him what?" Regina asked confused.

"Tell him, you kissed me."

"You did?" Asked Killian. "Nice, Love."

"What?" Emma asked, now confused and angry. "You don't care that your girlfriend is kissing other people?"

"What?" Regina and Killian both asked, looking at each other with looks of mock disgust.

"You two, are together, aren't you?" Emma asked, losing steam.

"No, Emma. Killian and I are definitely not together!" Regina all but spat.

"No?" Emma asked. She was so sure.

"No." They both said in unison.

"Oh," Emma looked down, embarrassed.

"I am going to get back to work," Killian excused himself from the awkward situation and escaped back down the stairs.

Emma and Regina stood looking at each other, neither one knowing quite where to start.

"You know, I forgot to get something when I was out," Emma said, walking past Regina and heading to the front door.

"Oh, no you don't!" Regina cried, hooking her arm around Emma's and swinging her around. "You are not leaving," Regina said pointing at Emma's face, "I can not believe you thought I was cheating on Killian, with you! Why didn't you say something sooner? You were feeling guilty because you were as into that kiss as I was."

"Is that why you stopped it?" Regina asked feeling she had the puzzle pieces worked out in her head.

"Stopped what?" Trying to keep up with all of the questions Regina was throwing out.

Emma pulled against Regina's hold on her. Regina refused to let Emma run from her this time and before Emma realized it, she had herself backed into a wall.

"The kiss," Regina said softly, approaching Emma, like a wild animal that would bolt or bite when feeling trapped.

She held her against the wall and let Emma figure out that there were no more reasons to run. Regina kissed her, soft and sensual at first. Lightly brushing her lips against Emma's and breathing her in. Emma tried to pull her arm out of Regina's grasp, but she wasn't letting go. Regina used her free hand to push Emma's hips further against the wall, keeping her in place on the wall.

Regina moved down Emma's neck, sucking, nipping, and soothing. She moved back up towards her jaw line, trying to imbue all the emotions Regina has for her and followed it to Emma's ear lobe sucking it with a, 'pop'. She could feel Emma squirm and shiver in her arms.

Regina found Emma's mouth again and playfully bit her lip. Regina couldn't hold back and she greedily kissed her, pulling her hips closer and at the same time pushing her harder into the wall. Emma's free hand and fingers slid into Regina's hair and gripped tightly.

Three loud knocks on the front door jolted the ladies back to themselves. They stared at each other breathless and seeing each other again for the first time. Regina stood still holding Emma against the wall and did not want to relinquish the hold she had on her.

The knocks continued on the front door, more demanding.

"Just a minute!" Regina shouted, annoyed and pissed at the intrusion. "This isn't over." She passionately said releasing Emma's arm and letting her off the wall.


	14. Chapter 14

I am sorry for the delay. Life happened. Damn you life! So anyway weirdest thing ever, yesterday was my 20-year high school reunion. Dude I really never thought I would make it that far to see that. I didn't go. I wanted to, but my wife had to work and long story longer, with my new disabled status, I couldn't go alone. I didn't really want to burden my mom to take me, plus as much as I love my mommy, it was my high school reunion, how weird would that be? Anyway back to the story

Anyway back to the story. Once is not my property, blah, blah, blah.

* * *

Chapter 14

Regina answered the door ready to eviscerate the person who interrupted her progress. "What?"

"Hey Regina, just wanted to let you know we were knocking off for the night and we'll be back around 9. We just have to lay the gravel. If that's alright?" Graham tentatively asked, sensing Regina's irritation.

Emma let Regina handle the door and took a deep breath. Her head was spinning, her heart was beating harder than a herd of horses thundering across the fields, her stomach felt like a flock of butterflies, and her knees were so weak. Emma walked to the dining room and sat down in a chair at the table.

She picked up a notebook with projects in it that Regina had scheduled and tried to center herself. It wasn't working and she still felt like she stuck her finger in a light socket. She didn't know which way was up or down. Regina had always had that effect on her already and this new development magnified that.

"Is it safe to come up?" Killian asked.

"Yeah, I think so." Emma smiled.

Regina joined Emma and Killian in the dining room. She kept her eyes trained on Emma while she asked Killian on the progress of the electrical panel.

"I'm ready to try it, I just wanted to give you a heads up, in case it exploded," Killian said somberly.

Emma looked at Killian and then at Regina wide eyed and worried. She was going to ask a question when Killian burst out laughing.

"I'm kidding, Love! Relax. I just needed a tool from the truck. It's not quite ready." Killian chuckled on his way out the front door.

"He's a prankster and a joker. You'll learn not to take him seriously the longer you are around." Regina watched Emma for a minute, "I had Killian bring my generator up. I'll be out at the well getting the holding tank clean and sanitized. You are welcome to join me if you'd like."

"No, I'll let you ride solo on this one," Emma smiled keeping her eyes on the list of projects she seemed to find more interesting all of a sudden.

Regina walked behind Emma, bent down to her ear and whispered, "I'm not leaving you alone in this house tonight so we will have plenty of time to talk, or not talk."

Regina kissed the spot below Emma's ear softly, feeling her shiver as she pulled away. Regina grabbed her keys and sunglasses from the table and walked out whistling. Emma let her breath out, not realizing she was holding it.

Emma pulled a bucket out from under the sink and dumped three bottles of water into it. She was going to clean as much as she could. There are five years of fine dust and grime on every solid surface, and she was determined to get it clean.

Cleaning or working was Emma's drug of choice when things got tough or she needed to run away from life. When holidays came around Emma would be in the office pulling all nighters or in her apartment cleaning and re-organizing. If someone at the office or an associate would take an interest in her, she would make up an excuse for not going out and pull another all nighter.

Emma hadn't been kissed by a woman since college. It was easier being alone, no expectations and no disappointments. She didn't want to explain herself to anyone, but most of all she didn't want to let anyone down.

When she ended her relationship with Lily, all those years ago she broke her own heart as well. Lily begged Emma for an explanation, asking what she did, what had changed, and what she could do to fix it. Emma, coldly told her, "this isn't who I am. Sorry." She returned the gifts Lily had given her and closed the door on her heart.

Emma's heart is as dusty and dirty as the house she is cleaning. No matter how much she scrubbed or re-organized things around her, nothing is ever good enough. She just isn't good enough for anyone.

Emma looked up from scrubbing the floor, feeling eyes on her and caught a glimpse of feet from a dark figure as she looked up. They moved swiftly from the kitchen doorway and into the dining room.

"Hello?" Emma threw her rag in the bucket and stood up. She walked tentatively into the dining room and looked around, double checking the dark corners. She jumped when Killian walked up behind her.

"Whoa, hey Love, didn't mean to startle you," he held his hands up, meaning no harm.

"No, worries," Emma said letting her breath out slowly, "how's it going?"

"Well, one more day, I promise you. In the mean time, Regina is sending me for pizza and beer. If you need anything, here is the walkie for Regina and I'll be back." Killian handed Emma the walkie-talkie, "oh and can I borrow your car?" Killian held his hands up in mock prayer.

"Yeah, let me get you some money for the pizza." Emma handed her car keys over.

"No, no, don't worry about it, I'm calling in some favors" He smiled a deviant smile and raised an eye brow. "I have a friend who, seriously owes me."

Emma went back into the kitchen to survey her progress. It was much cleaner, but nowhere near her everyday standards. It would do till the water was back on. She dumped the brown dismal water down the sink and laid the rag over the water spigot to dry.

The late afternoon sun was waning and Emma could feel the temperature dropping with it. She went ahead and busied herself with making a fire and taking stock of the wood pile outside the back door. There would be enough for tonight, and maybe tomorrow, but the supply was getting low and needed to be re-stocked.

The night settled in and Emma grew antsy. She could see the big flood lights in the field where Regina was working, almost a half mile out from the kitchen window. She wished Regina would call over the walkie, or come to the house. She hadn't heard from her in 4 hours and was getting worried.

The front door slammed shut and Emma heard loud foot falls coming towards the dining room. She went to meet Killian and maybe help unload his arms.

"Thank God you are back, I am starving!" Emma said rounding the corner from the kitchen to the dining room.

"Killian?" Emma called out perplexed, setting her water bottle down on the table. She silently crossed the dining room and looked out the window in the living area, to the street below. Her rental car was still missing, and the truck, she assumed was still in the field with Regina. She let the curtains go and heard an eerie giggle waft down the stairs.

The candles she had lit around the living room earlier mysteriously went out. The smell of sulfur floated in the air and the fire that blazed in the hearth instantly died. The house was left saturated in darkness. Emma felt her anxiety and fear of the situation grip her as she stood frozen, the air felt like the inside of a vacuum.

She slowly flexed her hands and looked up to the ceiling as little feet ran across the floor above her. Emma knew there was a flashlight on the mantle above the fire place if only she could get her feet to obey her head. She moved forward feeling someone grabbing her foot.

She bolted, fighting to get free and she quickly lost balance, falling forward into the dark. Emma threw her hands out in front of her, grabbing and reaching out into the air. She finally made contact with the floor, but not before her head smacked the elevated stone hearth of the fireplace. A bright light flashed behind her eyes before she lost consciousness.


	15. Chapter 15

_The sun was high in the sky and birds were singing happily. A fuzzy bumble bee floated from daisy to daisy. Aunt Ingrid was waving from her garden tractor and the smell of fresh-cut grass filled Emma's nose._

 _Emma waved back and resumed the game with her brother, of who could swing higher. She laid back in the swing letting her blonde hair drag in the dirt, and gravity stirring in her belly every time she came down. Emma imagined this is what flying would feel like, free and happy, with a butterfly or two in her stomach._

 _August sat up in his swing and looked over at his older sister, contemplating how to ask her, his question. "Hey, Emma?"_

 _"Yeah, Auggie."_

 _I am so sorry for the delay. I have gotten to the part of the story where I have to work more, by writing it out in hand and then I rewrite it on my laptop. Well, that and last week was the last week before school so I was trying to do as many things with my niece before I had to give her back to her mom. We had a great summer together, and as much as I am glad for a break, I really miss her. Mondays were our day together to GEEk out over nail polish and techniques while my wife was at work. We got really into Holographic nail polish! So here is the next chapter! Let me know what you think and I will start writing the next chapter!_

 _Oh Yeah, Once upon a time isn't mine, just playing._

* * *

 _Chapter 15_

 _"What's going to happen when Aunt Ingrid get's married?"_

 _Emma sat up and dragged her feet through the dirt to slow her swing down. She came to a stop beside her brother, "What do you mean?"_

 _"You know if she gets married and has kids. Do you think she will still want us around?" he looked at Emma sullen and defeated._

 _Emma shook her head, "Auggie, Aunt Ingrid loves us. Of course, she would want us around, besides, do you know something I don't know about Aunt Ingrid's love life?"_

 _"No, I was just thinking," Auggie said looking down._

 _"Well, stop thinking!" Emma swung and jumped off her swing, bopping August in the back of the head and running up the hill laughing towards the house._

"Emma!" She turned around at her name and tried to answer, but everything went dark and a loud drum started beating. "August?"

"Hey, easy, easy," Regina said kneeling down and holding Emma. She supported her weight and helped her sit up.

"Regina?" Emma said confused and trying to remember what happened.

"Yeah, you okay?" Regina asked her, keeping her eyes focused on Emma's

"Yeah," Emma said lying. Her head hurt and she was trying to recall the events that lead to her being helped up off the floor.

Emma sat in a chair that Regina helped her into with her head in her hands. Her head pounded and the room was swaying side to side. Regina picked her lantern up from the floor and knelt down in front of Emma.

"Hey," Regina said softly, shining the lantern over her, "I need to get a look at your head." Regina pulled Emma's arm away and cupped her chin, lifting her head to the light.

"Oooh, you managed to do a number on yourself, Ms. Swan." A large cut gaped open over a deep blue lump right at the hairline. A fresh stream of blood flowed into Emma's eye.

"Hold on," Regina said jumping to her feet to find something clean to control the bleeding.

Regina grabbed the flashlight off the mantel and jogged to the kitchen, "Your Aunt always kept first aid kits on every floor, for when you would do something foolish."

Regina pulled open the cupboards and swept the flashlight beam from side to side, before pulling the next set open. She pushed aside thick cobwebs and her flashlight beam glinted something red in the back. She shoved her quickly to the back and dragged it out. Regina made her way back to Emma and dropped down in front of her again, opening the red metal box.

She put a large gauze compress on Emma's wound and had her hold it there while she shoved a couple more of the thick compresses into her pocket.

"We're going to walk to my truck, ok?" Regina quietly said helping Emma stand.

"Wait!" Emma said suddenly, grabbing the flashlight from Regina's hand. She pointed the light beam at the location she felt someone grab her foot. A sheet lay stretched and tangled across the floor, "great, I'm a Moron." She whispered self-depreciatingly

"Em? You ok?"

"Yeah, just wanted to see what I tripped over."

Regina left a quick note for Killian, letting him know they were going to the ER. Regina helped keep Emma stabilized as they stumbled their way down to the truck. Regina kept a watchful eye on Emma as she drove, handing her a new compress when she needed one. Emma kept her focus on not bleeding all over Regina's truck.

The nurse brought Regina back to Emma's small curtained room. Emma was laying embarrassed on the hospital bed. The nurse had cleaned her head wound and applied 6 tiny stitches and bandaged it.

"Well, I'm still alive!" Emma held her arms up with her signature smile.

"Yes, and let's keep it that way, Ms. Swan." Regina was relieved to see Emma, not bleeding and making jokes.

"The doctor will be in shortly to discuss the results of your head CT. Here is your remote and if you need anything, press this button right here," the nurse handed Emma the remote and pointed to the nurses head insignia on the face of the remote.

Emma watched the nurse exit through the curtain, "I'm sorry they had to call you back here."

"Emma, of course, I want to be here. I wanted to be here when we came in, but I thought you might need your privacy." Regina sat down in the chair next to Emma's bed.

They heard the curtain opening and the doctor stepped into their space clearing his throat, "Ms. Swan I have your scans back." He crossed the room and stood next to Emma, opposite Regina. "You did take quite the tumble. Unfortunately, you do have a concussion."

"Great." Emma let out exasperatedly.

"Emma." Regina said, quieting Emma, " How serious is that doctor? Will Emma have to stay in the hospital?"

"I am not staying, so let's get that off the table right now. My head hurts a little and I am sure a couple of ibuprofens and a bed will take care of it." Emma started sitting up and pulling the thin blanket from her legs.

"Emma stop, "Regina put her arm across Emma's torso and effectually stopping her from getting up. "Let's hear the doctor out."

"Ms. Swan, there are 3 stages of concussions, you exhibit symptoms of the second stage type. They can be just as serious as a stage 3. If I were to let you leave, you would need someone to wake you every hour and help keep track of your symptoms and if you develop any new ones. Do you have someone who you trust to help with this?"

"Yes, Doctor Whale, she does. I will be staying with her and watching over her as she sleeps." Regina answered for Emma.

The doctor reiterated that if any new symptoms appeared or if Emma felt worse, to call an ambulance or get back to the ER. The nurse wheeled Emma out through the sliding glass doors and helped Regina get her into her truck. Regina finished fussing over the seatbelt and gave Emma a sympathetic look.

Emma laid her aching head against the headrest and closed her eyes. She continued beating herself up over her stupidity, if she could have kept her head, so to speak she would not have tripped over the pathetic sheet "ghost". She could be eating pizza, drinking beer, and sleeping.

Emma opened her eyes when the truck stopped, "Why are we here?" She asked, staring at Grannys front door.

"Granny insisted. Plus there is TV, lights, water, and most important to you, food." Regina smirked at Emma. Regina felt it would be closer to the hospital and safer with all the amenities and Granny is close by as well.


	16. Chapter 16

So Sorry this has taken a lot longer than I wanted. I posted a picture of the house that helped inspire this story. It's a house that was in the neighborhood I used to live in. The house is on the National Register of Historic Places in Douglas County, Nebraska. It's known as the Porter-Thomsen House. A very renowned Dr. had it built. It has murals painted along the top of the walls from the German artist, Gustave A. Fuchs. Anyway, Thank you so much for the comments and likes! I am so overjoyed that people like my story. Please let me know what you think of this chapter and I'm working on the next 2 chapters and preparing to get them up by this weekend!

Chapter 16

Regina finished setting Emma up on the couch. She thought the distraction of the television would benefit Emma and make staying awake easier. Regina laid a blanket over Emma's legs and then went to the movie shelf. She scanned the titles looking for something from their childhood.

"Emma are you hungry?" Regina felt her own stomach rumble, "I know I am starving."

"A little," Emma said weakly, wanting more than anything to sleep until this whole concussion thing was over.

Regina put in one of Emma's favorite Disney movies, Snow White, into the player and headed to the kitchen. She pulled out the roast Granny had made for dinner. She assembled two sandwiches, some chips and grabbed a couple of sodas from the fridge.

Regina sat the plates down on the coffee table. She knew she wasn't gone long, but it was just enough for Emma to fall asleep. Regina really hated to wake her up, Lord knows how bad her head hurt, but she felt that Emma needed to eat to keep her blood sugars and strength up.

Regina knelt down next to Emma's head, she noticed that even in sleep Emma looked as if she still held the weight of the world on her shoulders. Regina wished she would let her in to take some of the weight to help unburden the blonde woman. She ached to hold her.

She looked at the vicious mark on Emma's perfect face. It was so red and the black stitches puckered the skin together like a bad seam on a quilt. Regina let her eyes take in every feature of her life long friend. She knew this woman inside and out and at the same time she was a timid stranger, one wrong move and she would bolt.

She smiled, remembering the kiss from earlier. Regina stopped herself from stealing a kiss worrying too greatly that she could hurt Emma. Instead of a kiss, she spoke her name softly.

"Emma. Emma come on you need to eat something," Regina shook her gently till Emma's eyes fluttered open.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to doze on you," Emma said, slowly sitting up with Regina's help.

"It's okay," She handed Emma her plate. "I even brought you a soda. I know how much you love your sugary caffeine stroke in a can. I also put a pot of coffee on too."

Emma smiled sheepishly, "Thank you. If it makes you feel any better, I don't drink soda very often anymore."

"Really?" Regina scoffed in disbelief. "Since when? You acted like a deprived child when I rationed your soda intake before!"

"I grew up," Emma smiled mischievously, "besides I found more sophisticated drinks, like wine and lattes, with extra shots of espresso. And let's not forget Red Bull and Monster."

Regina stared in shock. She recovered, "Right like I said sugary caffeine strokes in cans and mugs. How do you even sleep at night?"

"I don't, not when there are dead lines that need to get done." Emma swallowed a drink.

They ate quietly watching the seven dwarfs sing about going off to work. Regina took quick glances over at Emma to make sure she was eating and not falling asleep on her plate. She noticed Emma's forehead creasing and knew it was time for more meds.

Regina sat back down next to Emma after dispersing her pills. She worried that the pain medication was going to hit before finishing their meals. She could tell Emma was in a battle and the meds were winning. She witnessed Emma's eyes close mid bite.

She slid Emma's plate and sandwich from her hands and went into the kitchen to put the dishes in the dishwasher. She helped Emma lay back down gently and covered her with a quilt before settling back down on the opposite end of the couch with the remote.

"I refuse to watch this blasphemy if you aren't watching it." She spoke to the air glaring at Snow White.

Emma woke with a start. She looked around to gauge her surroundings and she zeroed in on Regina. She was peacefully asleep on the other end of the sofa.

Emma could hear her ears ringing and a pressure in her forehead. She touched her head and felt the bandage over her sutures. She pulled her hand away and blood was running down her hand and flowing down her arm and pooling in her lap.

"What the hell!" Emma jumped up off the sofa and looked up.

The ceiling above her was no longer there. It was a hole with blood dribbling down and large masses of guts, that resembled jelly or jello. The hole looked like the inside of a tube, like a giant worms insides.

Emma could feel her feet starting to be pulled out from under her. The gravity shifted and she was being pulled towards the hole in the ceiling and she started to scream out to Regina. Emma grabbed hold of the sofa, which was not moving and, looked for Regina.

"Regina help!" She screeched out. "Please Regina, wake up, please! Regina!"

Regina was unaware of the hole in the ceiling and of Emma yelling for her. She continued to slumber as if under a sleeping curse. She looked like a picturesque version of herself, still, like caught in a snapshot, her gravity wasn't affected like Emma's.

Emma continued to struggle and could feel her grip slipping. "What the hell! Someone, please help me! Please!"

She started to cry as she continued to see Regina ignore her. She screamed at the top of her lungs for anyone to help her. Emma looked back at Regina and watched as she stretched out a little on the sofa and felt something hit her in the leg.

Emma woke with a start, breathing heavily and sweating. Her hair was matted to her neck and face. She looked around and once again zeroed in on Regina sleeping peacefully. Emma quickly looked up, only to see the white popcorn ceiling above her. She laid back against her pillows and watched Regina sleep.

Her legs were tucked up halfway to her chest, one arm behind her head and looking beautiful even with a little drool on her arm. The suns light was just filtering in through blue gingham curtains and hitting Regina in the face. The sun highlighted a strand of hair that kept tickling her nose every time she inhaled. Her button nose would scrunch and her free hand would brush across her face.

Emma couldn't help herself and let out a giggle.

One perfect eyebrow rose as a soft brown eye opened leisurely to stare into bright green eyes, "Ms. Swan."

"Ms. Mills," Emma responded with another giggle.

Regina shook her head and smirked at Emma, happy that she at least looked a little better. "How are you feeling?" She asked pulling the covers off and standing to stretch.

"I feel better than I did last night," Emma answered, forgetting her weird and scary-ish dream. Emma folded the quilt they were using and stood up.

The room tipped sideways and Emma shot out her hand to try and grab something to stable herself. Regina instantly grabbed her hand and held her wrist and elbow to steady her.

"Hey, you ok?" Regina pulled Emma closer and cupped her cheek, making eye contact, "slow ok, just take it slow,"

Emma's vision cleared and she met concerned brown eyes, "I'm ok. I just," she shook her head to try and clear the foggy haze a little more and to avoid Regina's eyes. "I'm good, I need to use the restroom." Emma pushed out of Regina's arms and fumbled down the hallway.

Emma studied herself in the mirror. She looked dreadful, like death's leftovers. She started the shower and turned the water as hot as she could. She stripped out of her bloody clothes and reached into the shower, testing the water and letting it stream through her fingers.

She climbed in and let the hard hot water beat on her aching body. She could see the water tinged orange as the blood and germs from the hospital washed away down the drain. She washed her hair being mindful of her sutures and tried to keep them as dry as possible. Her head started to throb under the water and Emma decided it was time to get out, even though the hot water was making the rest of her body feel better. When the blonde stepped out she was surprised and thankful to find a matching jogging set in a Heather Teal color sitting on the vanity.


	17. Chapter 17

I know, I know, that took hella long. In my defense, my niece's birthday was last month and I refurbish furniture in my "spare" time. I refurbished a vintage mirror for her new room. It took a minute since I am affected with perfectionism, but I'm back! I wish I had more written out since Halloween is around the corner. I love the Ghost in the house. And I love scary movies, creating scary atmospheres in real life, and ghost stories around the fire making smores and sippin' cocoa.

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Chapter 17

Regina finished getting dressed, keeping an ear out for Emma, in case she needed help. She closed her bedroom door and walked into the kitchen. Granny and her father were making breakfast, a large one.

"Hey Sweet girl, how's our Emma?" Granny asked while flipping a piece of vanilla french toast.

"I think she'll live. Just have to keep our eye on her." Regina finished, hearing knocking on the front door.

"Regina, would you be a dear?" Granny asked.

She spun on her toe and made her way to the door, "I don't know why he knocks? He has a key!" She yelled opening the door for Killian, "Come on, let's go."

"Good morning to you too!" Killian retorted, aware of his boss' mood. "Trouble in paradise?" He asked with snark.

Regina stopped mid-step, throwing her right arm out, so it hit Killian in the gut.

"Ugh!" Killian let out, folding at his waist, clutching his stomach.

Regina chuckled darkly and continued on to the kitchen, pleased with herself.

"Killian, set the table please, and Regina, check on Emma, breakfast is ready," Granny announced.

Regina raised her fist to knock when the door swung open. Green eyes met brown, both in surprise.

"Hey," Emma said, recovering from the shock first.

"Hey. You washed your hair?"

"I did." Emma was confused by Regina's question and touched her hair self-conscientiously.

"I just thought I would help you. Your stitches." Regina pushed Emma's hair away from the small line of stitches. "We should put some of the antibiotic ointment on this and you're due for another pain pill."

Emma grabbed Regina's wrist, stilling her movements, "I'm okay!" She snapped. "I just mean, Relax. I'm fine. You did a wonderful job keeping me alive and from bleeding to death. Don't worry so much."

"Right," Regina said, pulling her arm back and distancing herself with a fake smile in place. "Well, breakfast is ready."

Emma entered the noisy dining room, kicking herself internally for being such a jerk after everything Regina has done for her. She is still trying so hard to acclimate to having Regina in her life again. A Regina that didn't hate her. It has just been insanely confusing and every fiber of her being wants to run, back to New York, where it was safe and far from these people who could hurt her.

She sat quietly, enjoying her french toast drowning in real butter and maple syrup. She watched the make-shift family interact with each other. Ruby sticking her tongue out at Killian for an awful joke he told at her expense. Granny fretting over everyone, showing her abundance of love by filling plates, cups, and hearts. Henry telling stories of when 'his' girls were little, including Emma as well. Regina has her own way of making sure everyone's days are on track and handling anything that is too much for the other members of the family. She was the strong one, or at least that is what she lead them to believe.

Regina handled some of Granny's distributors and helped with the books, while also doing her own. She spoke to all of her father's doctor's and handled the bills. She helped raise Ruby after her mother was killed in a motorcycle accident when she was 12. Regina did what was and was not asked of her with no complaints.

Emma's heart felt heavy and empty at the same time. She missed this, having people revolving around each other as planets in their own little solar system, but it was so much more than that. It was knowing if you did something stupid, like tripping and cutting your head open, that it mattered. It mattered to someone and they cared, whether you lived or died. Could it have been like this, if she had come here when she ran? Was this something she could have had?

"Emma?" Regina worried. She had been watching her staring at her new stack of french toast for more than five minutes while rubbing her chest over her heart. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Emma stopped her hand, bringing it down to her lap. "I think I should be getting back to the house," she felt claustrophobic and exposed all at the same time. She felt like it was getting harder to breathe.

"Honey, why don't you go lay down in Regina's room for a bit." Granny offered, not liking Emma's skin color. "You're looking pale. Regina, get her a pill and tuck her in."

"Yes, Granny." Regina immediately raised from her seat and helped Emma from her chair and escorted her down the hall to her room.

Regina gave her a pill with a bottle of water, "we will talk more about getting you home soon enough. Let's get you healthy, alright?"

Emma set the bottle on the nightstand and nodded her head, yes. Regina helped Emma the rest of the way into the bed and pulled the duvet up. Emma felt the weight lift from her chest and exhaustion settle back.

"Are you leaving?" Emma asked.

"Would you mind if I stayed?" Regina asked carefully.

"Yes. No. I mean, no, I don't mind if you stay." Emma furrowed her brows explaining. She pulled the duvet back and patted the bed.

Regina pulled the duvet over them. She looked over at Emma and watched her for a moment. She took a deep breath and turned on her side facing Emma.

"What?" Emma asked knowing there was something on Regina's mind.

"How are you? I don't want to hear about what you have to do or what you think I want to hear. I want to know, how are you?" Regina threaded her fingers through Emma's.

Emma swallowed and prepared to try and answer Regina's question when Regina's phone rang. She pulled her hand away and held up a finger.

"Just a minute," Regina sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed and answered the phone. "Yes?" Oh good, that's great Graham. I appreciate your rapid response to get this done. I will move more business your way soon. Thank You." Regina ended the call and lay back resuming her position. "Now, where were we?" Regina threaded her fingers back through Emma's.

"I think you were going to tell me what Graham said." Emma retorted.

"I will gladly tell you right after you answer my question." Regina sassed back, smirking.

"Ugh!" Emma grunted, flipping over onto her back, "Regina, I am fine, other than this head thing. I know you want me to be good ole Emma like I was before, but I'm not. I don't stay up all night gossiping and talking about my feelings. Shit happens and you just have to pick yourself up and move on. I'll get over whatever IT is." Emma took a breath and looked at Regina, not missing a flash of emotion in her eye's.

"I'm going to let you rest and..."

"Don't." Emma tightened her grip on Regina's hand. "I, um, it's easier to sleep with you here."

"Of course. Just so you know." Regina hesitated.

"Yeah?" Emma waited tentatively.

"Your driveway is done," Regina smirked at Emma, breaking the seriousness of the moment.


	18. Chapter 18

So a little quicker updating! I am trying to get a bunch hammered out before Halloween. Like I said I love spooky! Let me know what you guys think.

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Chapter 18

"Yes, Sidney. My place is finally hooked up. The internet company is coming out tomorrow. They need to place a satellite dish somewhere and hook up my modem. I tried to explain this to you before I left. I am literally boondocking Sidney! It takes time sir," Emma's fingernails braking skin from making a fist, "I will get on it as soon as possible." Emma hung up the old cordless phone with a telescoping antenna and growled loudly at the kitchen ceiling.

"Boss giving you problems?" Regina asked, catching the end of Emma's phone conversation.

"I asked, you know. I could have just taken off, but no, because I knew the deadlines were coming up. I even re-assigned my closest deadlines, so they were done on time. I was basically finished and handed the scripts over and they got to claim the work as theirs, and was fine with that because I had shit to do!" Emma paced back and forth in a fit, her agitation growing every minute.

Regina stepped into Emma's pacing course and grabbed her by her biceps, "hey, I need you to take a breath and calm down. Now, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," Emma took a deep breath and crossed her arms, taking a step back out of Regina's hold. "I had originally wanted to take a leave, but Sidney told me he'd only allow it if I worked from here. And he read me the riot act, even after I kept him updated on my whereabouts."

"You are doing the best that you can. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No," Emma shook her head, " I just feel like it's never good enough. Ugh, I'm fine really." Emma took a breath, "Thank you, Regina. I really appreciate the way you have in essence dropped everything to get this house livable." She finished.

"You are welcome. I am going to finish fixing the porch stairs. Did you want to help? Maybe, slip into a pair of short jean cutoffs and don a tool belt? Regina winked at Emma before sprinting out of the kitchen, while Emma flung her kitchen towel at her.

Emma lasted another 24 hours at Grannies before she had to get space and back to the house. Regina started more repairs on the house as a way to keep her eye on Emma. She had decided to stop pushing Emma and treating her like the girl she knew, and instead to get to know her as the woman she became.

Later that evening when Emma's eyes started to blur and she could no longer focus on the manuscript for work, she shut her laptop. She grabbed two glasses and a bottle of wine and stepped out onto the porch. She set everything down on the table between two rocking chairs.

"I don't know about you, but I needed a break." Emma opened the bottle and poured the two glasses.

Regina stopped her hammering and wiped the sweat from her brow and stood up, taking an offered glass from Emma.

"Ms. Swan, I like the way you think." Regina sat in the rocker next to Emma sipping the wine.

They sat quietly rocking and sipping, watching the sun get lower on the horizon. The pink, purple, and blue sky was being left behind in the sun's descent. Crickets were beginning to add their chorus to the night.

"Do you think you will get a horse?" Regina asked Emma.

"You mean if I stay?" Emma eyed Regina, willing herself to play the, "what if?" game.

"Yes, if you stay."

"They are a big responsibility. Remember the summer when Aunt Ingrid took in Job and Kid for the Animal Rescue Program?"

"I remember. I practically lived here, with you that summer. We both bawled like babies when they were adopted. We made that promise to own a horse or two together when we grew up." Regina smiled, remembering and taking another sip of wine.

"I see. You're trying to call me on that promise?"

"I wouldn't be opposed to it and we did make a great team."

Emma took a deep breath to cover up the flip her stomach made at that statement. "If I sell, I could put something in the sale agreement for you to keep horses on the property."

"Emma, I want to do that with you. Two horses to go trail riding together and a two horse team to pull your Aunt's antique sleigh."

Emma's eyes snapped up to meet Regina's, "she still has the sleigh?"

"It's in the big barn. My father helped her restore it. All we need is snow, well and the horses."

Emma tipped her glass back and poured another glass.

"I have some more bad news," Regina stated sadly.

"What now?" Emma asked, still stuck in the past and the revelation of the sled.

"The roof needs to be re-done, the windows are rotting out, the gutters all need to be replaced, and the siding on the back was damaged in a storm or storms."

"Well, you are trying to keep me here, aren't you?" Emma chuckled, "I could sell tomorrow and it would be someone else's problem."

Regina watched Emma down her second glass and grabbed the bottle before Emma did. " I am not trying to add more to your plate. I was just being honest with you." She filled her glass and handed the bottle over to Emma's waiting hand.

"I know. I've been here three weeks and I feel like the house needs to be re-build. I don't know how Ingrid did it?"

"If I'm completely honest, the five years sitting really was hard on the house. I feel partially responsible. I should have done more." Regina looked out across the horizon.

"Regina, you did far more than her own family, don't blame yourself like that, please," Emma begged.

"Well, it's getting late. Thank you for the drink." Regina stood up and set her glass on the table.

"Regina," Emma said standing to stop her. She grabbed her arm to get Regina's attention and to look at her, "I really appreciate everything you did for Ingrid and this house. I send thanks to the Gods that she had you. I regret not being here for her," Emma dropped her hand and wrapped her arms around herself. "and for you. I was so sure no one would want me, that I stayed gone. I regret a lot right now." She finished.

Regina pulled Emma into a bone-crushing hug. She wanted Emma to feel how wanted she was, but she knew Emma's walls were still high and not completely penetrable. Ever so slowly, Regina would take one brick down at a time, till she could pull Emma out into the warm sun. She kissed Emma's cheek and let her go.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Sleep tight." Regina jogged down the new steps she installed on the porch, waved, and drove away.


	19. Chapter 19

Hey, So sorry for this being late yet again. I wanted to have it out in time for Halloween. I'm letting you in on a little secret, this is the middle of the story. I'm excited I have finally made it here and you are all on the ride with me! Let me know what you think about this chapter? Anyone have any guesses on the ghost? Is the house truly haunted?

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Chapter 19

Emma picked up the two glasses, mostly empty bottle, and walked to the kitchen. She hand washed the glasses and set them aside to dry. She emptied the bottom dregs of the wine down the sink and tossed the bottle in the trash. Emma heard the front door slam and wondered if Regina must have forgotten something.

She set her hand towel down and walked towards the front door. The door was closed and she did not see any other vehicles in her drive. It had been just over two weeks since the last strange episode and she had hoped they were over.

Emma could feel her hair stand up on the base of her neck again. A cold sense of dread hit her in the stomach. She spun around, feeling as if someone was breathing down her neck. Nothing, no one was there, but the electric spark in the air still dancing around her.

The doors upstairs started opening and slamming shut together in sync with each other. The chandelier in the dining room was swinging quickly back and forth. It was so loud, Emma couldn't hear herself think and she felt scared.

"I'm not scared of you!" she yelled covering her ears.

The lights in the living room and dining room started to strobe and Emma took a step back against the door. She could see movement in front of her. It was hard to focus with the lights flashing. Emma tried to take another step back, but instead just flattened herself against the door as a form was moving closer to her.

"Oh fuck!" Emma bit out.

The figure stopped a foot in front of Emma. She could only see the figure in the dark between the flashes. It looked like a translucent person with no defining features. It floated past her and then ascended the stairs. Every step the figure took up left light behind, by the time it disappeared at the top, the living room was bathed in light. The doors stopped slamming and the house was left with an eerie silence.

"What the HELL DO YOU WANT!" Emma yelled, fed up. She could hear her name being whispered, "Emma," from the top of the stairs and nothing else.

She looked up the staircase and put her hand on the railing. She pushed past her flight response and climbed up, hoping that she was making the right decision. Emma stood at the top, looking down the long dark hallway. She took a step forward and stopped. The first door on the right creaked open slowly. Emma went with her gut and entered the room.

"What? What do you want?" She asked out loud, looking around her Aunt's room. "Ok, I'm here. You threw a fit to get me up here a minute ago. Don't tell me, now you are going to be silent?"

Emma took two more steps into the room, her eyes tracking left to right and back again. She tried to tell if anything was out of place for a clue and couldn't see any reason to be in Ingrid's room. A framed photograph on Ingrid's nightstand wobbled back and forth before launching at Emma's head. She dove left in time for the picture to shatter on the corner on the corner of the doorway.

"Hey!" Emma exclaimed, peeking over her forearm, "what the hell was that for?"

The room was calm again and Emma picked up the frame and glass shards. She dumped the glass and broken frame in the wastebasket by her Aunt's vanity. She looked closely at the now homeless photo. It was a snapshot of Emma and Ingrid during the last summer she spent with her when she was 18.

A muffled banging noise broke through Emma's memory. She looked up and tried to gauge where the noise was coming from. The drawer in the nightstand was vibrating till the drawer shot out.

Emma crept closer, being cautious, in case more hard items went airborne at her head. She peered into the drawer, among a few odds and ends was a red leather-bound book. The front cover had a heart engulfed in fire carved into the leather. It was beautiful and expensive.

She carefully pulled the book out and opened it to a random page. The pages were equally as gorgeous, a cream color with dusted gold edges. Aunt Ingrid's elegant cursive handwriting coordinated perfectly in the journal.

Emma sat down on Ingrid's bed, pulled her legs up and started reading. She read about a harsh winter they were having and the power was spotty. Emma was completely enthralled by the events Aunt Ingrid wrote about and recounted.

She followed the enticing script across many pages before she realized how late it had gotten. She closed the journal and carried it with her to her designated room, where she fell asleep with visions of her Aunt stoking the fire and sewing by candlelight.


	20. Chapter 20

So here is a little of the beginning of the journal. I'm sorry this took a little longer than I had anticipated, but here it is. I also wanted to thank all of you for the follows, favorites, and comments. I appreciate them greatly!

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Chapter 20

Journal Entry 1

Dear Diary!

Right, like I am a teenager again! Well, I did it, I bought my dream house. It's on a decent size of land and I have a pond! I still can't believe it is happening!

It is a few hours from my sister, but she told me not to worry and to follow my dream. She also told me she's pregnant and Emma will have a sibling! It's early still so it's very hush-hush, but I am really happy for her. I know she never thought she would be able to conceive and she was prepared to adopt again, but ever since we were little girls in Sunday school, it's been her dream to carry a child. She always volunteered to watch the babies for the women bible study.

And speaking of my niece, Emma is perfect. She has gained a little weight and doesn't look as scrappy, but still is. Her hair is so shiny now, it has lost the dullness and is now healthy. Her teachers told my sis, that for having such a rough start she is excelling in all of her subjects. She is also the first in her class to read a whole book.

I don't want to toot my own horn, but all of my tutor sessions have paid off, plus she is just a superiorly bright child.

Back to the house, I will give my landlord my thirty-day notice at the end of the month and then it's bye-bye apartment living! No more inconsiderate neighbors hosting after parties at 3 A.M. I am so excited!

Journal Entry #12

The move was not easy. My small apartment fills the living room. I have plenty of space to grow and who knows if I find the right person we could have a couple of cousins for Emma and the new baby.

Emma still has trust issues from her previous foster families abuse. I am really worried about how my move will affect Emma's progress. My sister has even delayed telling Emma of the baby since it is a big trigger for her. I am just going to have to call her several times a week till I pick her up for summer. I hope she forgives me quickly.

It was so hard leaving Emma. My sis brought her to breakfast at our favorite little hole in the wall diner. Emma cried, then I cried, and then Cindy lost it. I promised her as soon as school was out, I would be back to pick her up.

Emma was so angry when I got into the car. She refused to hug me and tell me bye. I was devastated, my heart hurts so much for that little girl, I wish I could make her see that I would move mountains for her. I got halfway down the street when I saw her little face in my rear view mirror. I stopped the car, jumped out, and scooped her up. She is such a tender soul.

I think around hour 2 of my drive I was temporarily cried out. I didn't take into account how quiet and lonely it can be out here. Here's hoping the next few months go by fast. Can't wait for summer.

Journal Entry #31

It's been one week since Emma has arrived. I introduced her to Granny's Diner. She loves the Apple Flapjacks and the One-Eyed Jacks, (an egg in the middle of a pancake.) We have had a blast. I was a little worried being away from her that it would take a while to re-connect, but I worried for nothing. She loves helping out. We spend most mornings in the garden and she just soaks up everything I tell her.

I love seeing the world around us through her eyes! I love this little girl so incredibly much. I feel like we're both old souls. I pray my sister and brother-in-law realize how special and precious Emma is. I'm almost jealous of Cindy, but I get called the Best Aunt in the World! She told me last night that she has had many"Mommies and Daddies", but she's never had an Auntie before. I'll admit my heart about burst. God, I love that girl.

Oh, I almost forgot, Emma already made a new friend Granny's granddaughter, Regina. Granny was picking up a new batch of jams for the diner. It's a new partnership with the diner, to incorporate the local co-op. The diner purchases all of its needs from the community and in the process having extras on hand for the community to purchase. It cuts down on the need to rely on the bigger grocery stores. I am ecstatic, I have increased my sales by 50% and with my bookkeeping for a couple of smaller companies, I am doing very well.

Granny brought the cutest little brunette, who also happens to be the same age as Emma. Regina's had a hard couple of years too. Her mother just up and left one day. She chased a movie producer back to Los Angeles. He was scouting the town for a movie location but ended up filming in Canada where it was cheaper. Henry, Regina's father has taken it quite hard. Eugenia or Granny moved them both in to keep tabs on the little family.

Emma unloaded the groceries from her car and made her way into the house. She could hear a saw whirring through wood somewhere outside the house. This was the new window installation week, which meant Regina was up on the second floor.

She put the last of the food away and ventured up the stairs to get a peek at the windows. She could tell the same windows remained in Ingrid's room so she checked the next closed door. The bathroom window was sparkling and new. It was a beveled stain glass window that Emma had been able to have custom made. No one could see in, but the sun would light up the room with its rays and prismatic rainbows. It was framed by a fresh unpainted and aromatic wood frame.

"Cool," Emma shut the door and crossed the hall to open her bedroom door.

"Emma!" Regina flung the red leather bound book across Emma's bed, "this isn't what it looks like!" Regina covered her eyes with her hand, bowing her head in shame.

"It looks like you got caught reading my Aunt's journal," Emma chuckled.

"Ok," Regina looked up at Emma, redness spreading across her face, "maybe it does look like what it looks like."

Emma walked in front of Regina and leaned against the dresser. She crossed her arms and fixed Regina with a raised eyebrow, "alright, explain."

"I promise, I just came in here to double check the measurements. The window company sent a couple of wrong windows and I knew I didn't make a mistake so I... Anyway, I saw Ingrid's journal lying here and... I really miss her." She looked up catch Emma relaxing her arms and sitting down beside her to listen.

"Ingrid told me that she would write in her journal when she was lonely. It gave her a sense of grounding and made her feel more connected. I wanted to be connected to her again," a silent tear trailed down Regina's cheek. "I am sorry, I didn't mean to pry or snoop."

"Hey, don't worry about it. You can read her journal anytime. I just got a kick out of your, "Oh, shit!" face." Emma pulled Regina into a hug, "I actually just came across it, myself."

"Um, how far have you read?" Regina asked drying her tears.

"Oh, well, not very far. Why?"

Regina shook her head, "I was just curious. If you ever want to talk about anything you read or really anything, I'm here."

"Thanks, Regina. I really appreciate that. It's been a long time since I have had a friend."

"Emma," Regina said chuckling and grabbing Emma's hand, " your friends have always been here, just waiting for you to let us in again."


End file.
